


Community

by VexedBeverage



Series: Belonging - A Magic AU [2]
Category: Hat Films - Fandom, Hatfilms, The Yogscast
Genre: Duncan/Kim - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Fizone - Freeform, Gen, Hatslash, Lewis/Hannah - Freeform, M/M, Magic AU, Yogslash, belonging fic, chris trott/katie morrison - Freeform, fion/zoey, nanocoffee, smornby, xephmadia, yogscast - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-05-12 06:03:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 67,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5655121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VexedBeverage/pseuds/VexedBeverage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'Belonging' - A magic au staring the yogscast. </p><p>Once the storm is over, life goes on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Company

Sometimes it felt like yesterday, at others it was like it didn’t even happen to them but was more like ghosting memories from a film that he had watched years ago. In reality it had barely been three months since he was taken and the events that followed. 

Alex hadn’t been prepared for life to just go on as if none of it had happened, as if they hadn’t all gone through so much in such short a time. He hadn’t dealt with his best friends near demise or a battle that they shouldn't have had to go through, not at their age, not really at any age. He hadn’t processed the near misses, and what should have been life altering injuries. Not come to terms with the fact that he, technically, responsible for leaving their enemies to burn from a fire of his own making.

Nightmares plagued him like a child in a strange house, visions of blood and the feel of lightning running through his veins as time rewound, again and again. New, terrifying scenes stemming from what ifs and if onlys playing behind closed eyes. 

But Alex was good, much better than any of the others at hiding it, wide smiles and too loud laughter a mask to hide behind as he skirted the edges of friendships, neither too distant nor too close. The others needed him, needed him to be the strong one- at least that’s what he thought. 

Ross had noticed, of course he had, but caught between his own demons from that night and his childhood he dismissed it as something it wasn’t - barely used to looking after his own feelings, let alone anyone else’s.

It had gone so well to start with, they were all just so glad that they hadn't lost anyone and it created this feeling of euphoric relief amongst the group that slowly slipped away as personal demons sunk their claws into them, one by one.   
\-----  
Zoey eyed Smith as he sat back against his chair, arms above his head in an exaggerated stretch complete with a large, open mouthed, yawn. 

“I’m going to head home, catch some sleep.” He commented as he pushed himself to his feet, giving Ross’ shoulder a quick squeeze. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” 

“I thought you were going to stay here tonight?” The dark haired man questioned as the rest of the group feigned deafness and averted their eyes from the two men. 

Smith paused in his movement towards the door and spun around, offering his boyfriend an eye crinkling grin. “My mom has been on at me about never being at home.” He said, the excuse more than obviously fake in the silence of the room. “And I got some stuff I need to do, summer projects and stuff.” He continued, eyes falling to the carpet underfoot. 

Ross nodded his head and cleared his throat. “Okay.” He mumbled, licking at his dry lips and trying to look anywhere but at the taller man standing in the middle of the room.

Smith didn’t offer anything further as he turned on his heel and strode out of the room. Ross raised his head and watched him go with a small sigh before turning back to the game that they had all been playing before Smith had got up. “Sorry.” He muttered, not sure if he meant the awkward scene they had to witness or for interrupting the game in general. “Is it my go?” He asked reaching for the dice in the centre of the table.

“I’ll be back later.” Zoey muttered to Fiona, slipping out of the room practically unnoticed by the others. 

She found Smith standing gripping the handle to his office door, staring unseeing through the thin glass panel set beside the wood. Stilling her movements she spoke, voice soft as if not to spook. “Pushing him away isn’t going to help.” 

Smith’s eyes snapped back into focus as he bit his lip against the burning need to scream at her to mind her own business. “I thought Turps was the mind reader around here?” He deadpanned, pushing his arm down to open the door, walking through but leaving it open, knowing she would follow whether he invited her or not. 

Zoey clicked the door closed behind her. "I feel the emotions, it's not hard to figure out the motivation." She commented, scuffing the toe of her shoe against the floor. 

Smith let out a breath, a long stream of air through his slightly parted lips. "I guess you want to come through?" It wasn’t really a question, but she answered with a small hum of positivity anyway before following him into the portal.

Smith's bedroom was pretty much a complete disaster, clothes spilling out of the hamper and across the carpet. The desk littered with discarded empty packets and bottles that he hadn't bothered to try and fit into the overflowing bin by the side of the bed. The curtains were drawn against the early evening light, plunging the whole room into a dark and gloomy ambiance that more than suited the mood of the situation. 

Smith offered no apologies for the state of the space, simply sweeping a pile of rumpled T shirts off the chair by the desk and gesturing for Zoey to sit as he collapsed onto his back across the bed, legs bent and feet still flat against the floor. 

Zoey didn’t speak, sitting back into the chair and crossing her legs at the ankles, hands folded in her lap. 

Smith rubbed at his eyes with his fist, trying to push away some of the tiredness that had been plaguing him for, what felt like, years but in reality was the result of only achieving four or five hours of broken sleep a night since the group’s large sleepover the day following the fight. 

"Come on then." He challenged with a resigned sigh, lifting his neck to look over at his friend. 

"Come on then, what?" The tall girl asked, almost physically wincing against the violent tide of feelings radiating off Smith, so many contradictory emotions making her feel a little feint and causing the question to sound sharper than she intended. 

Smith grit his teeth against his temper, throwing his head back against the mattress with a loud 'thump'. "You obviously have some kind of bullshit pep talk for me about how I'm treating Ross and the rest of you." 

Zoey shrugged. "Do I?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at him. 

Smith sprang to his feet, voice raised and jabbing a finger in the girl's direction as he paced in front of her. "Do not use this reverse psychology bullshit on me, Proasheck!" 

Zoey caught movements out the corner of her eye, small objects around the room hovering a few inches from surfaces as Smith stood grinding his teeth and breathing heavily. "I haven't said a word-" She answered, pushing as hard as she could against the anger to answer in a bored voice before goading him to continue with a further muttering. "-Alex."

Smith bit his lip and let out a frustrated sound, the items around the room rising higher for a moment until he took some deep breaths and they lowered gently to rest against surfaces with barely a sound. 

The two descended into silence, both refusing to be the first to speak, for different reasons. Zoey may have not been able to break Smith in an instant like Trott would have, but she knew enough, waiting it out until Smith would be unable to bear the lack of sound anymore. 

It didn’t take as long as she thought it would, barely three minutes passed before Smith buried a hand in his hair, wet his lips and started to talk. 

"I shouldn’t be like this." He said, sliding to the floor with his back against the side of the bed. "Trott almost died and Ross had to deal with all of this, being new to our fucking world but they're both fine." He didn’t look up, his eyes trained on his hands twisting in his lap. "Fiona had me and Katie screaming at her, calling her awful, fucking horrible things and accusing her of-" His voice trailed off. "And Duncan fucking- he had to feel as four of him died and he isn't walking around resisting the constant urge to punch something." 

Zoey tilted her head as she listened, interjecting when he paused for more than a couple of seconds. "First off-" She said, gaining his attention with the strength of her voice against the broken quality his own had taken on. "-You have no idea what any of the rest of us are going through." It wasn’t an accusation, just a statement of fact, spoken with firm conviction to the man falling apart at her feet. "Secondly. It is not a competition and just because someone 'has it worse'-" She supplied, making finger quotes in the air. "-Doesn’t make your feelings invalid." 

Smith scoffed. "I don’t need, or want, to be validated." 

"Tough shit." Zoey replied. "You are allowed to feel this, you're allowed to feel however the hell you do at any given moment. Denying it is only going to lead to you pushing all of your friends away until you are as alone as these irrational thoughts want you to be." 

Smith pulled a knee to his chest, resting his chin on top of it. "I'm just so angry all the time and I don’t want to hurt anyone." He explained, mind flashing back to his younger years when his powers first presented themselves. 

Zoey uncrossed her ankles and slid off the chair and into a crouch on the floor. Turning on the balls of her feet she sank down next to the taller man, mirroring his position with her chin on her own knee. "I'm not going to sugar coat this." She informed gently. "You're already hurting us by not talking about this. Trott's lost; scared he is going to fall back into how he was before. Ross doesn’t understand why you keep avoiding him. Fiona still thinks everyone hates her for not being able to heal Trott the first time-" She trailed off for a second before clearing her throat. "There isn't one of us in that building who is over what happened, some are just better at hiding it." 

Smith nodded against his leg, staring into the middle distance with glazed over eyes, fighting against memories he didn’t want to relive.

Zoey nudged him with her shoulder. "It’s not going to go away overnight." She commented. "But it will get better, and-" She said, voice gaining more animation. "-We aren't alone in this, any of us." 

Smith lifted his arm, draping it around Zoey's shoulder to pull her against his side. "You should become a councillor or something, mate." He praised, pressing his lips against the crown of her head for a moment. 

Zoey huffed an amused breath through her nose. "Maybe I will." She answered. 

Both friends lapsed into silence, much different than the tense withholding of information that had earlier prevailed, this was the companionable silence of two friends who understood that right then, in that moment, words were not needed, the comfort of each other’s body heat was enough to settle a sense of belonging over both of them.


	2. Covered

It had been another night of quiet companionship that went on in to the early hours, Katie and Trott the last two left on the sofa as Ross made his way out of the room and towards his own with Smith in tow. 

“Do you want me to stay at yours tonight? Ross says it works, being close to Smith.” Trott asked watching as Katie worried her lower lip and pushed her curls behind one ear with her gloved hand. 

The redhead shook her head gently. “No, Thank you” She answered, not looking at him. “I really appreciate that you asked but, I just can’t Chris.” 

Trott nodded, movement harsh. “Have I done something?” He asked, voice indicating he didn’t really expect an answer as he continued to talk. “Because you cringe and flinch whenever I get anywhere near you, you never want to spend any time alone and you keep going off with Ross doing god knows what.” 

It was true, any sudden movement towards her had the redhead reeling back, it had been barely a week after the fight when she had absentmindedly reached out and adjusted the necklace around Ross’ neck. The ring hanging from the cord had been tucked under the neck of his collar so she had pulled it out and once again descended into the horror of the other man’s experiences. 

It wasn’t a solitary incident, any semblance of control she had been able to manage over the years was suddenly shattered, anything she touched bringing living memories flashing before her eyes, and she wasn’t sure that she had the strength to see any more. 

Ross knew, as soon as she had adjusted his necklace and looked at him with tears dulling her eyes to a stormy grey. There wasn’t any more to see from Ross, she had lived it all with him once and so he was safe. The one point of physical contact she allowed herself, inanimate objects took on dangerous qualities. A simple spoon or game pad could bring forth visions, the door handle to the library had sent her hurtling into a private argument between Hannah and Lewis. An innocent mug from the kitchen giving her first hand experience of one of Fiona’s panic attacks.

She wet her lips before responding. “I’m trying to help him, Chris.” She argued, not addressing his earlier points, tugging at the hem of her oversized jumper. 

Trott spat a vicious laugh. “Always trying to help others, I guess I’m not important enough for you to bother with anymore.” 

Katie didn’t get to answer, standing stock still with her mouth slightly open as Trott spun around and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the pictures on the walls. 

Tears stung as they formed in her tired eyes and she sniffed against the burning in her nose. Throwing herself back down on the sofa and cradling her head in her hands. 

At the creaking of the door opening she snapped her head up and met Ross’ gaze, dropping her shoulders and head back down a split second later, almost seeming to fold in on herself. 

Ross closed the door gently behind himself, walking over to the redhead whose shoulders shook in silent sobs. Ross knelt in front of her, pushing her hair out of her face with one hand so he could meet her eyes. 

They didn’t need words as Katie slid forwards, leaning into Ross’ shoulder and gripping at the front of his hoodie, breathless whimpers being drowned out by Ross as he made hushing noises and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, rocking them both gently. 

“Come on.” Ross requested, voice low, once Katie pulled back and wiped at her eyes with the edge of her scarf. “You’re exhausted.” 

Katie didn’t protest, just nodded and let herself be led from the room. 

“Do you want to stay here tonight or go home?” Ross asked as they neared the door to her office. 

“Please don’t make me go home on my own.” 

Ross nodded and carried on walking passed her door, gesturing for her to enter his room ahead of him. “I’ll be back in a minute.” 

Katie kicked her shoes off into the corner of the room and pulled her jumper over her head, throwing it into the same corner, pulling off her gloves and drying her sweaty palms against her leggings. 

As Ross returned, she crawled under the covers and lay on her back with a tired sigh. “You want to talk about it?” Ross asked as he kicked off his jeans and slid into the bed next to her. 

Katie shook her head and turned to face her friend. “I need to tell him why I can’t just be normal around anyone anymore but he has so much going on himself that I don’t want to add to his problems.” 

Ross acknowledged her admittance with a small nod and rolled onto his back, extending the arm closest to Katie in invitation. Katie immediately scooted closer to the dark haired man, pressing her cheek to his chest and draping an arm around his waist to fist in his t shirt. 

**********

Katie woke to the sound of hushed conversation at the other side of the room. 

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk to her right now Trott, let her wake up properly and then-“ Ross’ voice cut off as Trott started to talk, much louder than the other man had been. 

“She is my fucking girlfriend Ross and I need to speak to her, so kindly get the fuck out of my way before I make you.” Katie sat up in the bed, getting ready to diffuse the situation. 

Trott was standing close to the other man, head tilted up to meet his eyes. “I’d like to see you try.” Ross practically growled. Trott didn’t even flinch, just stared straight back. 

“It’s fine Ross.” Katie sighed, pushing the blanket off her legs and standing from the bed. 

Ross turned. “You sure?”

Katie nodded at him and Ross took a step back from Trott, gesturing for him to enter the room before walking out himself, closing the door behind him.

“What does Smith think about you and Ross sharing a bed when you won’t even look at me properly?” Trott asked, the conversation from the night before seeming to continue. 

Katie bit her tongue against the urge to snap at him. “Smith knows Ross loves him and doesn’t make ridiculous accusations.” 

Trott raised his eyebrows. “Ridiculous?” He asked, voice high as he strode over to the bed where Katie stood.

Katie took a couple of hurried steps backwards and snatched up her jumper, shoving her bare arms inside ready to pull it over her head. “Ross is my friend, nothing else. You know this.” She protested after pulling the garment over her head. 

“I just want my girlfriend back.” Trott admitted in a broken voice, reaching a hand out towards her face to stroke a thumb over her cheek. 

Katie held her breath, eyes wide as Trott gave her a sad smile, when no images jumped into her head she let out the breath in a small stream through her nose. “I have some things I need to tell you.” She admitted, lowering her chin slightly to break their eye contact. 

Trott took another step, no more than half a foot from the girl, hand trailing from her cheek to her chin and lifting it so he could meet her eyes again. “I’ve missed you.” 

Katie nodded. “I’ve missed you too.” With one hand on Trott’s shoulder, the shorter girl rose on her tiptoes to press her lips to his gently. 

The kiss only lasted a few seconds before Katie pulled away to rest her heels against the floor. “I’m sorry.” Trott breathed against her forehead before leaning back and pushing some of her unruly sleep mussed curls out of her face, the metal clasp of his watch brushing her ear. 

***

Kim ripped her jacket off her shoulders and balled it in her fists, pushing it against Trott’s stomach. “No, no, no, no.” Hannah rambled, leaning forward so she could meet Trott’s eye. “We’re going to get you out of here, don’t you dare close your fucking eyes!” She said slapping at his face with a bloody hand.  
Tears streamed down Kim’s face as she kept the pressure on the wound. “Come on Trott.” She stuttered out between sobs. “Katie will kick my arse if I don’t get you back in one piece.” She tried to joke, Trott let out a laugh that turned into a pained scream as his chest heaved with coughs.

The scene changed, so many screams and shouts, sounding both too loud and far away at the same time. Everything was cold and distant, pain wracking everything making it hard to breathe or think or live, blackness crept ever closer and she welcomed it. Welcomed the cold embrace of the unknown in favour of the pain and confusion of lying on a table dying. 

She heard her own voice screeching. “Help Him!”

Another voice, closer but quieter, pleading. “Oh god, oh god, oh god, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

She was almost gone, she knew it, just a couple of more minutes and it would be over, and whatever that meant. “Trott doesn’t have time for you to have a fucking breakdown. Think of something to fix him now!”


	3. Never the right book

He had tried so many things to try and create a feeling of safety, Ross found comfort in the wolf. Something about the more primal part of himself was soothing, the wolf didn’t work over and over scenarios in his brain, when he was the wolf he could ignore the nagging feeling of impending attack that lurked in his conscious mind and concentrate on running or hunting or just being, without overanalysing. 

When he was the wolf he didn’t think about how off Smith was being and he didn’t second guess everyone’s interactions with him. When he was the wolf he felt included and not like the odd one out, the one that no one really wanted around but were too nice to tell him otherwise. When he was the wolf he had his pack and it didn’t matter what they said or did, they were still his pack and he belonged with them. 

“Ross?” Hannah questioned, poking her head around the open door of the ‘library’ to find the dark haired man sitting at one of the tables, surrounded by books and with a pen between his teeth as his eyes scanned the yellowed pages of what looked to be a centuries old tome. 

Ross hummed around the plastic but didn’t look up, finishing scanning the page he was on as Hannah strode into the room to sit on the chair next to him, waiting for him to stop what he was doing. 

With a huffed exhale through his nose at his lack of luck Ross wrenched the pen from his mouth and threw it to the table top. “What’s up?” 

“Katie asked me to let you know that she’s gone back to Nilesy’s with him for a couple of days, they’re going to see what they can find in the library at his house about her power since this place had nothing.” 

Ross scrubbed at his face. “How can we have so many fucking books but never with anything we need in them?” He asked motioning to one of the many shelves lining the room that was bowing under the weight of the amount of books it held. 

Hannah looked over his notebook for a moment, blue eyes narrowed as she tried to read his quick scrawl. “Still nothing?” 

Ross shook his head. “If I did it once, I should be able to do it again.” He complained, leaning back in his chair, wincing against the stiffness in his shoulders from sitting hunched over a book for so long. 

Hannah pulled one of the other books towards herself, opening the worn leather cover gently. “This one of Zylus’?” 

Ross nodded. “I need to figure out that translation spell before I can read most of his books.” 

“Why not just ask Zylus to translate it for you? Or just ask him the question, he has probably read all of these at some point.” Hannah suggested. 

“That would mean telling more people why I need the information.” Ross muttered. 

The blonde closed the book and regarded Ross for a moment. “What’s wrong with that?” 

Ross sighed. “Smith wasn’t exactly pleased with what I want to do.” 

“Smith loves you, you idiot. He just wants to make sure you know what you are getting yourself into and are being safe.” 

Ross rolled his eyes. “By avoiding me and downright refusing to talk to me about what happened?” He scoffed. “Yeah, true love mate.” 

Hannah paused, trying to figure out the right words in her head before speaking. “Smith is going through some shit and he isn’t dealing with it properly, that is not your fault.” 

Ross yanked at the sleeves of his hoody, pulling the cuffs into his fists. “No, but if I had a handle on my transformations and we get attacked again maybe I can actually help this time instead of getting my friends fucking stabbed.” 

“Also not your fault.” Hannah says, face void of emotion. 

“Don’t.” Ross said, it isn’t a plea, more of a command. “If I had been able to transform then Jason wouldn’t have got anywhere near Trott.” 

“It’s over, Ross. Jason and the others are gone and dwelling on what happened is just going to make you go crazy, you need to move on from it.” Hannah stopped talking abruptly, muttering a few more words after a seconds pause. “We all do.” 

Silence permeated the air as they both mulled over their own thoughts for a while, Hannah gnawing at the corner of her thumb nail and Ross staring into nothingness. 

Ross broke the silence, his voice still quiet. “Sometimes, I wonder if I should still be here.” 

Hannah raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” She asked, unsure if he was referencing his location or something deeper. 

“Here, at the office.” He clarified. “I don’t know if being here is good for all of us. Kim is so worried about Trott and Duncan, Smith is being so distant, everyone just has so much going on and I don’t want to add to that.” He admitted, not meeting the blonde’s eyes. “If it wasn’t for Katie I think I would have gone months back.” 

“I will pretend you didn’t say any of that.” Hannah snapped, her eyes boring into his.

Ross rolled his eyes. “I won’t stay where I’m not welcome Hannah, I had enough of that the first sixteen years of my life.”

“Yeah and running away just solves everything.” She countered, sarcasm lacing her voice. 

“Did last time.” 

Hannah scoffed. “You do that to us and I will personally hunt you down and feed you some of my more ‘creative’ potions.” She threatened, no humour in her voice. 

"What do you suggest I do then?” Ross spat. “Keep hanging around, hoping that Smith eventually talks to me? Or should I keep prodding at him until he really loses his rag with me and something explodes and hurts someone?” He ranted, voice rising in volume. “Maybe I should just hold up in my room and never come out like Fiona, or spend my sleepless night wandering around the city in the middle of the night like you.” 

Hannah’s eyes snapped to his at the last point. “You’ve been following me?” 

“Someone fucking has to, the last time any of us were out there at night Smith got fucking taken.” 

This time it’s Hannah who snapped. “I don’t need a babysitter.” Ross shrugged at her, a gesture that had the blonde’s hackles rising further, a dark look passing between the two before she took a deep breath and pulled her thumb away from her mouth.

Ross plucked the pen from the table again and rolled it between his fingers, flipping his book back open and pointedly ignoring the woman opposite him. 

“Ross, I’m sorry” Hannah sighed. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you, I know you are just worried about us all.” Ross nodded his head but didn’t look up. “I’ll help you with a translation spell tomorrow if you want?” She offered. “On one condition.” 

Ross sat back in his seat and looked at her in question. 

“Come hang out with us for a bit, you need a break and Kim always feels better with you close and when Kim is more relaxed so is Trott.“ Hannah said gently.

It didn’t even really take any serious thought, he was getting absolutely nowhere without the translation and he really didn’t have the skill to pull the spell of himself. “Okay.” 

The first genuine smile of the night passed between the two friends as Ross pushed his chair back from the table and stood to follow Hannah out of the room. 

**********

Kim carded her hand through the mop of blonde hair in her lap, frowning down at her sleeping boyfriend as Ross flicked through the channels trying to find some kind of entertainment that they could all watch. 

“Go back.” Trott said, pointing towards the screen. “Futurama re runs.” He clarified as Ross switched back and dropped the remote onto the cushion next to him. 

Duncan had arrived at the office at two am in a shuffle of unkempt hair, rumpled clothes and three day old stubble to find Kim, Trott, Ross and Hannah huddled on the sofa together. Without a word he had crawled onto the spare cushions and put his head in Kim’s lap before passing out mere minutes later. 

Kim sighed gently at his quiet snores and leant forwards to look at his face, way too pale, with dark smudges under his eyes. Stopping the movement in his hair, she reached down and eased his glasses off his face, folding one arm of them and hooking the other on the neck of her t shirt so they lay safely against her chest. 

"His sleeping isn’t getting any better then?" Trott asked, voice barely above a whisper. 

Kim shook her head and pushed Duncan’s fringe out of his eyes. “No.” Her voice sounded resigned and oddly emotionless.

“Are any of us?” Hannah asked, bitterness lacing the sound. “I can’t remember the last time I felt like I had enough sleep.” 

Trott shrugged. “I’m really starting to consider Smith’s idea of using some kind of sleeping potion or something.”

Ross raised his eyebrows at the new information about his boyfriend’s activities but didn’t comment as Kim responded. “What? So we can be trapped in nightmares we can’t wake up from? No thanks.” 

Trott shrugged. “He was talking to Fiona about it, trying to figure out some way of doing some kind of potion that knocks out the frontal lobe during sleep.” 

Ross pressed his lips into a thin line as his friends talked, hurt that Smith hadn’t even thought to mention his activities to him. 

“Would that stop the dreams?” Hannah asked, trying to hide the hopefulness creeping into the edges of her voice. 

“Not stop them, but when in the dream you wouldn’t be scared of them, it kills off the fear response apparently but they haven’t figured out how to only make it temporary.” 

Kim shifted slightly, arching her back for a moment in a stretch. “Fuck temporary, if it can stop us from living in miserable terror then I’m all for it.” 

Trott shook his head. “What you are proposing is a lobotomy.” He supplied. “That’s where he got the idea, studies on lobotomised people show they don’t feel fear, also means your impulse control is fucked because you don’t see risks and stuff.”

As if on cue from their conversation a groan escaped the still sleeping Duncan, a small sound that had Kim immediately stroking at his forehead. “Duncan,” She cooed in a half whisper, trying to wake him gently. “It’s just a bad dream, wake up.” She continued as the large man’s leg twitched and more distressed noises came from his mouth.


	4. Crash

The secrets and half-truths were too much. Friendships and love being tarnished and cracked by the strain and pressure of things not said. Too many lies, too much pain pushed down to pits of stomachs and backs of minds, breaking points creeping ever closer. 

Trott had been stretched too thin, holding himself together with wispy strands as he tried to be there for his friends.

For Kim, who was so worried about Duncan that she was neglecting herself and had almost forgotten about the full moon until Ross literally dragged her away mere minutes before the change took over. 

For Katie, who he couldn’t help. Weeks had been spent scouring books and exhausting contacts to try and find something, anything, that could dampen her powers and give her a break from the overwhelming stress of not being able to touch anyone or anything in fear of more pain being thrust into her mind. 

For Hannah, whose eyes often strayed to Trott’s middle in remembrance and would barley let Trott or Kim out of her sights for any period of time, needing to see evidence of their safety to reassure herself that they were okay. 

For Ross – still so new to their world and ways, who Smith was treating so badly with omissions and lies and avoidance that played on the other man’s insecurities and pushed him not just away from Smith but from all of them as he isolated himself, Trott suspected it was in preparation for leaving but had yet to pluck up the courage to ask in case he was right. 

And for Smith, Smith who was his best friend and brother and who had been the only person in the whole world who had been able to help him last time. Smith, who sat with him for hours and days and weeks when he lost his brother and father mere weeks apart. Smith, who would just walk into the room without a word and sling an arm around Trott’s shoulders when he had ran out of tears and emotions and life, when he was just a husk of nothingness that carried on breathing even when he didn’t want to. Smith, who had so many of his own issues but pushed them all aside for Trott, every single time he needed him without question or request. 

Lewis paused as he entered the kitchen, noting the faraway look on the other man’s face. “You alright?” 

Trott snapped out of his daze and picked up the kettle that had flicked off minutes before, pouring water into his cup and pulling another down from the cupboard. “You want one?” He asked Lewis who made his way over to lean his hip against the counter, watching the other man. 

“Yeah, please.” Lewis answered, although Trott had already added a tea bag to the cup and poured the water. 

“It’s quiet in here today.” Trott mumbled as he stirred the drinks, small talk the only thing springing to mind. 

Lewis stepped around him to get the milk from the fridge, answering when he had placed it on the counter in front of Trott. “Seems like everyone is taking some time out to do their own thing what with Kim chasing after Ross and Hannah keeping an eye on Duncan until she gets back.” 

“What do you mean? Chasing after Ross?” Trott asked as he returned the milk and handed Lewis his mug. 

Lewis took a tentative sip before answering the other man. “They didn’t tell you?” At Trott’s questioning face he continued. “Ross and Smith had a massive blow out yesterday morning, I could hear pretty much every word from upstairs. Ross stormed out, told Duncan to tell Kim he would be back in a couple of days so she left to try and find him.”

Trott grimaced and scrubbed at his face. “What about Smith?”

Lewis shrugged. “Haven’t seen him since.” 

**********  
Trott had at first text his friend, giving him some time to come back to him but getting worried when it had been more than an hour. His first stop had been, quite predictably his computer. Smith could spend upwards of ten hours jacked into a Dota match with his headphones cranked, not being able to hear his phone going off – everyone knew that if you couldn’t get hold of Smith on the phone, you got to him through his Steam account. 

He wasn’t online.

Smith wasn’t in the office, he wasn’t at his house, he wasn’t in the woods where the boys had spent a good portion of their childhood in their self-made fort, and he wasn’t on the island that he seemed to retreat to so often since finding it months before.

Trott was loathed to use a tracking spell on his friend but the only other option was to look for him in the one place he really didn’t want to go, but he just knew it would be where his friend would decide to torture himself with. Smith was dramatic by nature and Trott, fortunately or not, knew this all too well. 

**********

Trott hadn’t returned to the mansion since the fight, the fire had been on the news in the local area and Dave had watched it, passing on the information to those who asked. Trott had expected the fire damage to be worse, from the outside it looked like nothing had happened. 

The police tape obscuring the front doors had already been ripped and dangled from the left door, flittering pathetically in the light breeze. Trott pushed the door with his shoulder and was immediately hit with the smell of burnt wood. 

The ball room was a mess of scorched floor and walls, the ceiling was black around the edges where the fire had licked up the wooden panelling. 

Smith was sitting on the floor, his back against a section of undamaged wall with an envelope next to his leg as he bounced a tennis ball off the floor, angling it to hit the wall, then the ceiling and finally back on the floor before catching it and starting all over again – obviously aided by his telekinesis as it changed trajectory to fall into his hands. The rhythmic thumping echoing in the otherwise empty room. 

Trott could hear Smith’s breathing pick up when he realised the other man was standing watching him from the door, the ball smacking into Smith’s hand paused for a fraction of a second before he threw it with more force than previously, the thudding of it hitting surfaces picking up tempo. 

The smaller man kept his eyes trained on his friend, forcefully avoiding looking over to his right where he knew there would be an off coloured section of floor from that horrible night. 

Trott leant his back against the wall and slid down to crouch before extending his legs to sit on the floor. 

Neither man said anything for a few minutes, Smith still throwing the ball. Trott didn’t speak up until it was being thrown with less force and Smith’s breathing had quieted to a more normal rate and volume. 

“How long have you been in here?” Trott questioned, his eyes following the yellow streak as it ricocheted from wall to ceiling to floor. 

Smith shrugged his shoulder. “A while, I guess.” 

Trott wasn’t sure what to say, a thousand things running through his head, all of them likely to put Smith on the defensive or just piss him off in general, so he stayed quiet, waiting the other man out. 

The ball picked up speed. 

Trott watched Smith out the corner of his eye, watched as his grit his teeth and leant forward from the wall to throw with more force. He watched as his friends face flushed and his breathing grew ragged through his nose. 

“You need to leave.” Smith ground out as the ball became more of a yellow blur than a shape. 

“No.” 

Smith caught the ball, the sound a loud, hollow thud and pushed himself to his feet. “Go.” He ordered the other man who was still reclined against the wall. 

Trott rose to his feet slowly, squaring up to the other man. “No.” 

Smith’s face grew redder, and he took a step back from the other man to hurl the tennis ball towards the wall again where it split the wood panelling before falling to the floor and rolling a few feet. “I don’t want to hurt you Trott, get out of here.” 

Trott folded his arms across his chest. “I am not going anywhere until you talk to me.” 

“I don’t want to talk to you right now, Chris.” 

Trott raises an eyebrow at the use of his first name. “Well, you can’t always get when you want, Sunshine.” 

Smith’s hands curled into fists and he broke eye contact with Trott. “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

Trott relaxed his stance further, leaning against the wall with one shoulder, arms still folded. 

“No, this is not fair Trott, when you needed space I gave you space!” Smith shouted. 

“You don’t need space.” Trott argued back, his voice flippant. 

“Don’t I?” Smith asked, voice full of sarcasm. “What exactly do I need then? Since you seem to know fucking everything?” Smith paused for a split second, not really long enough for the other man to answer. “To sit around and talk? What the fuck is that going to solve, Chris? Is that going to turn back time and get you un-stabbed?” 

Trott unfolded his arms, one hand flat against the wall as Smith ranted. The wall was shaking, deep vibrations that shook the building and brought down puffs of plaster from the ceiling. The large, crystal covered chandelier swayed, the clinking of cut glass colliding causing a strange cacophony of almost musical notes to resonate around the room. 

The other man continued his triad as Trott eyed the walls with trepidation. “Is talking about it going to take back that they fucking tortured me? Is it going to wipe my mind of Katie’s screams so I don’t have to hear them every time I sleep?”

Trott stepped away from the wall, watching Smith pace with a hand pulling at his hair, words spilling from his mouth faster and faster and louder and louder as the chandelier swung and the split in the wooden panelling grew. 

“Will talking take back everything I’ve done to Ross? Will talking change the fact that I’m a murderer?” The ear splitting crash of crystal and metal and glass hitting the floor twenty feet below its original position snapped Smith out of his anger induced speech, finally noticing the dust falling from the ceiling and the fact that the room wasn’t still. 

Trott approached him with caution, a hand held out in front of him, making sure Smith looked at him before getting too close. 

Smith backed away, shaking his head at his friend with wide eyes full of panic. “No. Trott.” Smith pleaded raising his hands in front of him in defence. “Please. Chris. Don’t.” He begged, his voice breaking when he spoke the other man’s name, the last word not more than a gravelly whisper. 

Trott ignored him and continued to walk towards him until his back hit the wall and he was trapped, his face flushed and eyes shining with extra moisture. Trott reached out to put a hand on the back of the taller man’s neck and pulled his head down to rest against his shoulder, other hand on his back. 

Smith clung to his shirt like a child as his whole body convulsed with sobs, Trott’s hand carded through the waves of his friends hair as they both sank to the hard, unforgiving ground.


	5. Told you so

It took a while for Smith’s sobs to quiet. Trott’s knees were screaming in protest against the hardness of the floor but he didn’t move, just continued to stroke his friend’s hair in silence as Smith cried until he didn’t have the energy to continue. 

Smith pulled back a couple of inches to scrub at his eyes with the back of his hand and wipe the moisture from his face with the sleeve of his burgundy hoodie. Trott’s hand left his hair and the other slid over his shoulder to grip gently at his upper arm. “Feeling any better?” 

Smith snorted a bitter sound and rearranged his legs beneath him so he could stretch out and prop his back up against the wall. Trott scooted over to sit beside him, glad to be off his knees. “I think I needed that.” Smith admitted, bringing one knee up to rest his chin on. 

“Well not to say ‘I told you so’.” 

“But ‘you told me so’?” Smith questioned. 

“You were the one who accused me of knowing everything, mate. I just don’t want to destroy your fragile world view.” Trott answered with a small smile. Smith rolled his eyes. “You care to elaborate on any of the stuff you screamed at me?” 

And this was why Smith loved Trott, he didn’t coddle him or try to make him feel better with reassuring words or lies that it would be okay. Trott knew that sometimes things weren’t okay and having someone else insist they were or that they would get better when that was the last thing he wanted to hear, would only make him angrier. 

Smith didn’t answer and so Trott tried to coax him. “I have given you your space and time to try the whole ‘ignore it and it will go away’ approach mate, now it’s time to try my way before you go completely off the deep end.” 

Trott had said it like it was a question, like he had a choice in answering but Smith knew better. Trott was at the end of his patience and he would just keep poking and prodding at him until he gave in at this point. Being stubborn was not a trait exclusive to Smith in their friendship and they both knew it. 

“I have no idea where to even start.” Smith commented, staring straight ahead. 

“How about we start with me then?” Trott suggesting, continuing to talk when Smith just shrugged a shoulder. “I almost died and it was horrible but you saved me and I can’t ever thank you enough for that.” 

Smith gestured with one of his hands towards the other end of the room, the ruined tennis ball not so much rolling as dragging across the floor towards the centre of the room. “You would have done the same for me.” 

“Yeah, I would.” Trott agreed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to thank you for it.” Smith moved the ball in lazy circles around the room. “It wasn’t your fault, or Ross’ or Kim’s, or anyone but Jason’s fault that it happened. If I hadn’t attacked then he would have got Ross or Kim and I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had let that happen.” 

Smith nodded, understanding exactly what the other man meant. He couldn’t have lived with himself if Trott had died from his injuries by not volunteering for Rythian to undo the healing and use let Fiona use the power to heal Trott. It was a risk but it was more selfish than people realised, except maybe Trott. 

“The sleep thing is messing me up.” Smith supplied quietly. 

Trott sighed, none of them were sleeping well but both Smith and Duncan seemed to have it the hardest in that department. “Most of the time it takes hours to fall asleep and once I actually manage to drift off, I have nightmares.” Trott opened his mouth to prompt him further but Smith carried on without needing it. “Sometimes I dream about what happened and go through being tortured over and over, sometimes its stuff that didn’t happen but could have.” Smith paused. “I’ve watched each and every one of you die and each time I’m just not fast enough or strong enough to save you.” 

Trott shifted closer to rest his shoulder against Smith’s arm, a small point of physical contact that gave the taller man the strength to continue. 

“I lost control of myself at the end, you were almost passed out and no one was paying any attention to what I was doing and I had Jason-“ Smith’s eyes drifted to one of the walls not far from the patch of dried blood on the floor that both men had avoided looking towards thus far. “I had him up against the wall, my power wrapped around his throat and his legs dangling feet from the floor.” Smith shook his head at himself. “I should have snapped his neck and moved on to help you guys but I didn’t. I held him there, tightening my grip and watching as his face got redder and redder and he clawed at his throat and- I liked it. I liked knowing I was scaring him and showing him that I had the upper hand, and that I held his life in the palm of my hand and if I wanted to, I could just end him.” Smith’s voice had descended into a hollow monotone as he spoke, chills crept up Trott’s spine. “Then Ross was screaming that you didn’t have time and so I just threw him, grabbed Zylus and followed the rest of you out of the room. I didn’t even realise I had set the place on fire until I went to get Zylus, how could I have started the room burning with all of us still in it?” He asked, not expecting an answer. 

“We all did things we shouldn’t have had to do, Alex.” Trott said. “We all left them to die in the fire, that isn’t on you.” 

Smith didn’t comment, he didn’t have the energy to disagree with his friend and what Trott had said did make sense, they had all done things that would haunt them, he wasn’t special in that regard, somehow that thought made him feel marginally better. 

“I think I’ve screwed everything up with Ross.” 

Trott shook his head. “Not possible.” He assured. “That guy practically worships the ground you walk on, mate. It’s going to take more than a couple of arguments to get him to give up on you two.” 

“You didn’t see his face when he left.” Smith sighed. “He was looking at me like I was a stranger and told me he was leaving, I don’t know if he is even going to come back.” 

Trott nudged his knee against Smith’s leg. “And miss your awesome blowies?” He questioned. “Not a chance, mate.” 

Smith laughed at that, the first happy sound that Trott had heard from him in weeks. 

“Besides, if he doesn’t come back you will end up crawling into my bed to spoon and I will do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen, including a fight with a pissed off werewolf.” 

“You’re a twat.” Smith smiled at him, bumping their shoulders together. 

Trott bumped back. “But I’m ‘your’ twat.” He confirmed with a wink. 

The two fell into silence, taking comfort in the presence of the other for a few moments before Smith broke the quiet. “There’s one other thing bothering me.” 

“I don’t care how many times you beg me, Smith, I am not having a three way with you and Ross.” 

Smith barked a laugh and snatched up the envelope that had been sitting on the floor on the other side of him, handing it to Trott. “I got a letter from my dad.” 

Trott raised his eyebrows and pulled two items from the envelope, one a single sheet of lined paper, the other a second, smaller envelope. 

The first sheet was only half full of neat block capitals that informed Smith that after his father had skipped out on his pregnant mother that he had then impregnated someone else and settled down to marry her. The letter was an almost business like request for Smith to be open to communicating with his half-brother and telling him that the second envelope was from said brother. 

“Did you read the other one?” Trott asked noting that the flap of the envelope had been tucked into the main pouch of the paper and so couldn’t decide if Smith had opened it or not. 

“Yeah, he sounds okay.” 

Trott opened the envelope and pulled out the paper, a neat scrawl filling the page. The letter contained questions mixed in with information about himself. His age – seventeen, his interests – ‘computers, games, reading’ general information about the fact that he had recently moved to a new home in a new town. It was signed ‘your brother, Mark’. 

“He’s keen.” Trott commented, folding the paper and handing it back to his friend. 

“Yeah.” Smith agreed quietly. “I’m not sure what to do.” 

Trott swiped his hair out of his eyes before answering. “Do you want to get to know him?” 

“I don’t know.” Smith admitted. “My dad was right, it isn’t fair to write him off just because he is a dickhead and he is family but-“ 

Trott nodded along as his friend talked. Smith didn’t really have any family, it was always just him and his mom, the closest thing he had to other family was Trott and the guys in the office. “Family is what you make it, mate.” Trott said. “This Mark guy isn’t asking for instant friendship, just to talk to you so you can get to know each other.” 

Smith unfolded the letter again and stared down at Mark’s contact information with a frown. “Is now really the best time though?”

Trott snorted an amused breath through his nose. “Understatement.” He mutters. “But if you leave it too long, he will probably assume you don’t want to talk to him.” 

Smith straightened his leg to reach into his pocket. “Texting is fine, right?” He asked, not waiting for an answer. “I mean, he gave me his phone number so it’s an option, yeah?” This time he does pause. 

Trott nodded his head. “Yeah, not too personal and you don’t have to fill awkward silences like on a call.” 

“What do I write?” Smith asked, thumbs poised over the screen with a small questioning smile to Trott. 

“Don’t ask me mate, this is your brother.” 

“What the hell do you say to a brother? I’ve only had you and Steve-“ Smith abruptly stopped talking, smile falling from his face. “Trott, I didn’t think, I-“ 

Trott cut him off. “Mate, come on. I do not have the monopoly on brothers just because of what happened to Steve.” He reassured, a half smile lifting one side of his face. “One thing you need to keep in mind though-“ 

“What’s that?” Smith asks, training his full attention on the other man. 

“You’re the big brother here, you have to set an example and not be a prick.” Trott joked. 

“Fuck off. I’ll mould him in my image, mate. Turn us into a trolling due that will go down in history.” 

Trott grimaces. “Maybe you shouldn’t contact him them.” 

Smith laughs, bumping his shoulder against Trott’s with more force than they had used previously, sending Trott falling to the side. 

The tapping of Smith’s thumbs typing a message on his phone stopped the shorter man from retaliating, not saying a word until Smith tucked his phone back into his pocket and pushed himself to his feet. 

“We done here?” Trott asked, also rising from the floor. 

Smith looked around the room, taking in the soot covered walled and smashed chandelier with small nods of acknowledgment. “Yeah.” He agreed. “Let’s go home, I’m hungry.”


	6. Chase the Moon

Sometimes Kim hated her heightened senses and the link between herself and Ross. 

Leading up to the fight the two had started exploring the connection, strengthening bonds by spending time together as both human and wolves, it had been reassuring and warm and nice. It made Kim feel less alone with her affliction, something she had always struggled with. 

By the time Smith was taken, they were already well on their way to having constant insights into each other’s emotions but since the fight the feelings had only grew stronger. Kim wasn’t sure if it was a good thing with how they had both been feeling lately and it certainly gave her a lot of sympathy and respect for Zoey who had to deal with everyone’s feelings, not just Ross’. 

Ross and Smith had been locked away for over ten minutes and Kim could hear every word passing between the two through the floor separating her from the kitchen downstairs. Lewis, sitting next to her was oblivious to Kim’s efforts to try and ignore the drama until the voices raised further and even Lewis could hear. 

“Fuck you! You do not get to tell me what to do, I am not your fucking lap dog!” Ross’ voice sounded hard edged and threatening. 

Smith’s response was quieter but Kim still heard it all and winced against the harsh words that Lewis was unable to decipher. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t then?” Ross shouted back. 

Smith responded with a shout of his own. “Fine! Fuck this, I’m out!” The slamming of a door shortly followed the declaration. 

Lewis and Kim shared a look for a moment before Lewis spoke. “That didn’t sound good.” 

Kim shook her head, a small ache in her chest from the connection with Ross. “I should go check on Ross.” She said, as the ache grew stronger. 

Lewis nodded and stood to follow her out of the room. “Maybe Katie can talk some sense into Ross?” 

Kim shrugged as they approached the stairs, pausing for a second to look at Lewis as she addressed him. “Katie isn’t here.” She answered. “And I’m not so sure that what he wants to do is a bad thing.” 

Lewis sidestepped her on the stairs to stop her walking by standing in her path, her head almost level with his due to her being a few steps higher. “There has to be a reason that it isn’t mentioned in any of the books.” 

Kim rolled her eyes. “Any of the books we have.” She corrected. “We aren’t about to go experimenting on our own, Lewis.” She reassured. “We just want access to more information.” 

“What you are talking about is forcing changes and turning yourselves into shifters.” He exclaimed with raised brows. 

“Look,” Kim said, placing a hand on one of Lewis’ shoulders. “We are going to be careful and we aren’t just going to start fucking around with it in the office, okay?” 

Lewis looked away from her fierce gaze and nodded his head gently. “I worry-“ 

Kim smiled. “I know you do.” She said squeezing his shoulder slightly. Everyone knew it, somehow the dark haired man had taken the responsibility of being a central contact for anything in the office, during the fight it had been an invaluable sense of comfort for most of the group, even if Lewis wasn’t fighting. He had a way with words and being able to put everyone at ease that would have been missed had it not been present the last few months. 

Lewis turned away and continued down the stairs, making his way to the common room with Kim beside him. 

Duncan and Simon were on the sofa, game pads in hand as Hannah rooted around to try and find a game they could all play. 

“You alright?” Duncan asked as Kim practically threw herself down at his side. 

Kim made a face. “Getting kind of sick of what Smith is doing to Ross.” She said as Duncan gave her a sympathetic look and opened his mouth to say something reassuring but was interrupted by Hannah. 

Kim loved her friends and that included Smith, no matter how much she would protest to the contrary when he would take the piss out of her. It was a good natured friendly and fake rivalry between the two, often pulling Ross in the middle just because it made the dark haired man uncomfortable and amused Kim and Smith to no end. Since the battle, Kim had been struggling with her own relationship with Smith. The good natured ribbing banter wasn’t always good natured from her side anymore as she lived through the hurt he caused her pack brother, she knew why he was doing it and she understood, really she did, but that didn’t take away the sting whenever Smith would brush off Ross. The inevitable guilt she would feel after a particularly snappy comment to the tall man didn’t help things either. 

“Ross said to tell you that he has gone away for a few days, chasing a lead or something by the sounds of it.” Hannah said as she managed to locate the box she had been looking for. 

“He what?” Kim asked, her voice a little too loud in the quiet of the room. 

Duncan nudged her with his leg. “He said he would be back soon.” He tried to reassure, offering her a smile that she smaller girl ignored. 

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Hannah supplied and Kim's head snapped back to look at her as she continued. “I spoke to him the other day and he might have said something about thinking about not sticking around.” 

Kim pressed her lips into a thin line, a low growl rumbling in her chest. “Of all the stupid-“ She trailed off. 

“Go.” Duncan said. “I know you want to go after him so go, I’ll be fine.” 

********* 

Finding Ross was as simple as going back to the cave and following his scent for a few miles, he hadn’t got far. 

Kim followed the scent to the outskirts of a small town, stopping in her tracks and peering through the large glass windows of a pizza place on the outskirts of the nearest town. 

Ross was seated at a booth near the back, large rucksack on the seat next to him as he sipped from a glass of coke. “Hey.” Kim greeted, throwing her bag down onto a seat and sitting opposite Ross. 

“That didn’t take very long. I thought I’d at least have a day or two before you tried to find me.” 

Kim sat back against the chair. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.” She informed him. “And it’s a good job Katie wasn’t around to hear about your disappearing act.” 

Ross shrugged. “I did intend to go back.” 

“Don’t lie to me.” Kim shot back, knowing immediately that she was right when Ross lowered his head. 

“I hadn’t decided not to.” 

“But you hadn’t decided you were either.” It wasn’t a question. 

Ross licked at his lips, stirring his drink with his straw. “I couldn’t stay in the office anymore, you all get to go home when you want to but I can’t do that.” 

Kim nodded. Honestly she hadn’t thought about that. Ross couldn’t escape the office where they had coordinated the attack from, he couldn’t escape the building where Trott had almost lost his life. A few times now, Kim had avoided coming into the office because she needed space, either staying at home or going back to Duncan’s. Ross couldn’t do that, the office was his home. Other than going back to Smith’s he didn’t really have an escape, and that didn’t seem like a possibility right now. 

“I’m not leaving you out here alone.” Kim said, locking her eyes with his. 

“What about Duncan? Doesn’t he need you?” 

Kim smiled at Ross’ default selflessness. “Duncan has Lewis and Simon looking out for him and they’re much more equipped to help him than I am right now.” Ross didn’t say anything further so Kim continued. “What’s the plan?” She asked reaching out and swiping the glass out of Ross’ hand to take a swig. 

Ross stared down at his now empty hand. “I didn’t exactly have time to make a plan.” 

Kim raised her eyebrows and returned his drink to the table. “Well, we’re out now. We might as well make the most of it.” She said as a waitress approached to take their order. 

Further conversation of their plans halted momentarily as they ordered food, as soon as the waitress had got a few feet away Ross started a hushed conversation. “The books Zylus brought mentioned shifters out in Ireland at the turn of the century, sounded more like werewolves than normal shifters but did mention being able to change at will.” He explained. “I have no idea where in Ireland though, we could maybe start with that?” 

Kim nodded. “There are some old families over there that we could try and contact, maybe they have something?” She hypothesised. 

**********   
The contacts in Ireland didn’t have anything other than another source of information, a shop that specialised in ‘the old ways’ as they called it. 

It was one of those shops that sold crystals and candles, the kind that stank of herbs and incense where teenagers and ‘new agers’ got their tarot cards and protection amulets. 

“Mystical crafts.” Kim read off the large sign over the closed door, wrinkling her nose at the crystal ball displayed in the window. 

Ross shrugged as they shared a look. "Maybe it’s better inside?” 

It wasn’t. 

Inside made their noses burn and their eyes sting from the heavy perfume hanging in the air. The whole place was in semi darkness, instead of having any overhead lighting there were flickering fake candles placed on various rickety tables and on the shelves and counters. 

A bell above the door jingled as Ross pushed it closed behind them. A woman in a long green dress with multiple shawls wrapped around her shoulders appeared behind the counter a few moments later, neither Ross nor Kim knew where she had come from and were certain she wasn’t there when they entered. “Greetings strangers,” Her voice was gentle and lilting with a soft Irish edge. “How can Madam Mystic serve you today?” 

Kim and Ross shared a look. “Where are your books?” Ross asked, eyes scanning the small shop but not finding any that weren’t shiny tourist traps about dream reading or the proper use of healing crystals that were pure fiction. 

The woman took a few steps, coming out from behind the counter to regard the two who were very different from her usual clientele. 

It took only a moment for her face to break out into an actual smile that completely broke the vibe she had been going for previously. With a flick of her wrist the overhead lights flickered to life, blinds falling shut over the windows and the bolt on the door slid across to the locked position. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen a werewolf up close.” 

Kim adjusted the bag on her shoulder as the woman stepped closer, throwing her multiple shawls to the counter and offering a hand to the shorter woman. “Arlene McDuff.” She said. “I assume you are looking for a book with a bit more punch than ‘Properties of Candles’.” She said, gesturing to a book resting on a nearby table as she finished shaking Kim’s hand and offered it to Ross. 

Ross took the woman’s hand in his own for a moment and nodded. “We’re looking for information on the O’Whelans.” Ross said, the woman raised a single eyebrow. 

“Of course you are.” She smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys,
> 
> If you follow me on Tumblr then you might know i have been having a bit of a shit time the last week or so and writing has been hard. This chapter and the next one were almost completed before everything went to shite so i can post this week and next week - i am hoping that i get my writing flow back after that so there isnt a break in the story for you guys. 
> 
> Shout out to Nisha who is my little cheerleader, also to Bea - dont know what i would have done without you mate. And Alvaro - dude... no words can convey how much you help me all the freaking time. 
> 
> Love you all!   
> Vex


	7. Yogbowl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An evening out

Sips had somehow taken it upon himself to try and take Smith’s mind off the fact that Ross had been gone for almost two weeks with no news other than a singular text from Kim saying she had found him and they would be back ‘soon’.

“Come on Smiffy.” Sips requested. “We need a sixth or we can’t spell out ‘wanker’ on the board and Martyn was really proud of thinking up the name.”

Smith raised his eyebrows and paused his game to turn to look at the other man. “Change it to ‘dicks’ then.” He suggested.

“Smiiiifffyyy.” Sips pleaded, elongating the sound into an annoying whine. “Don’t make me tell nature boy that we can’t use his name, he’s finally letting up on me messing with the plant pots.”  
Smith rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Smith.” Turps interjected. “It’ll be fun, bowling, beers, arcade games…”

Smith let out a sigh. “You aren’t going to go away until I say yes, are you?”

Sips offered Smith one of his rare grins, full of crinkled eyes and white teeth.

“Fine.” Smith relented with a sound of disgust, turning back to his game. 

Turps held a hand up and Sips slapped him a high five in celebration. “We leave at seven.”

***********

The bowling alley was loud, the sounds of the balls hitting pins echoing in the large room that was only half full on a Tuesday night.

Sips sat himself on one of the benches by the desk whilst the others went to rent shoes. “You have your own shoes?” Smith asked, eyeing the other man as he pulled a black pair of bowling shoes out of his bag.

“And a ball.” Sjin supplied, nudging the bag with his foot.

“Hey now!” Sips said, wagging a finger at Sjin. “Don’t kick Debby.”

Smith blinked at him. “You named your bowling ball Debby?”

Sips just shot him a look that dared him to comment further. Smith held his hands up in surrender and turned to get some rented shoes for himself.

Sips and Turps retreated to the bar to get drinks whilst the others set up the game on the outdated computers connected to the lane. “How’s the noise?” Sips asked as they waited for the barman to approach.

Turps made a ‘so-so’ gesture with his hand. “The extra external noise is helping and the amount of people in here is kind of making it all turn into white noise rather than specific thoughts.”

Sips nodded as he spoke. “I don’t know how you do it man, knowing what everyone is thinking.”

Turps raised his eyebrows and gestured to the approaching barman with his head. Once Sips had ordered their drinks, Turps answered his friend’s musings. “You kind of get used to it and you surround yourself with the type of arseholes who say whatever pops into their heads so you’re not constantly picking up on lies and half-truths.”

Sips laughed. “I think that is possibly the nicest way I have ever been insulted.” He commented, picking up one of the beers that had been placed in front of him and taking a swig.

Turps grinned at him and handed over money to the barman as Sips rearranged the glasses on the bar so he could pick three up at once. Turps followed Sips back to their hired lane as soon as he shoved his change in his back pocket.

*********

Smith sat with his leg crossed, ankle of one foot resting on his knee and stared unseeing into the pint glass in his hand. The amber liquid held no answers to the questions in his head, it didn’t reveal anything about how he could stop his thoughts straying to things he would rather not think about. 

“Smith?” Turps’ voice cut through the fog of contemplation and he looked up at the man in question. “Finish that one then come help me grab some more at the bar.” 

Smith nodded, bringing the glass to his lips he downed the rest of the drink in one and stood to follow the other man as Zylus stepped up to the lane to take his go. 

“So what did that beer do to you for you to have been giving it such a filthy look? Shag your mom?” Turps asked as he placed his empty glass on the wooden bar and nodded at the barman’s question of ‘same again?’ 

Smith rolled his eyes but didn't say anything aloud, instead opting to scream at the other man in his head, a smirk on his face as he locked eyes with Turps to strengthen the connection. 

Turps rubbed at his temple. “Fuck- Alright.” 

“Stay out of my head Turps.” 

Turps scoffed at him. “If I had a fucking choice Smith, I would.” He said. “But I don’t, and you’re head is a little loud to ignore like the others.” 

“Well, there’s only two ways I know of shutting my head up.” Smith supplied with a grin. “And since I’m assuming the first is not something you would be interested in being around for, we’ll have to go for the second.” 

Turps barked a laugh. “Turning you into a raving alcoholic probably isn’t healthy either mate.” 

Smith shrugged. “Better than hearing you bitch all night.” He said with a grin, hand already in his back pocket for his wallet before catching the barman’s eye. “Line up some shots mate?” Smith asked as he slammed a couple of notes down on the bar. 

*********

“In your face bowling boy!” Smith yelled, pointing at Sips and practically skipping back to his seat.  
“Using your powers is cheating Smiffy.” Sips grumbled, wiping Debby down with a cloth before placing her back in his bag.

“I didn’t use my powers, Sipsy. That was pure Smithy skills that slayed you!”

Martyn rolled his eyes at their antics as Sips shot Smith the finger. “Who wants to get thrashed on the dance machines?” He asked, eyeing his drunk friends with his equally drunk and slightly blurred vision.

“You are on, Littlewood.” Sjin challenged. “You can’t beat me, I’m practically made of water.” He continued, trying to pull off some kind of body pop and failing miserably.

The men stumbled over to the reception desk, collecting their shoes and then lurching towards the arcade section of the building, swaying under the influence of what must have been ten rounds of drinks.

The sight of Sjin and Martyn trying to ‘throw some mad shapes’ as Sjin had put it, was more than enough entertainment for the others who stood around the machine in a rough semi-circle, cheering and laughing in equal measure as Martyn totally obliterated Sjin who tripped over his own feet trying to keep up with the directions on screen.

**********

Smith wandered away from the cheering group, using the excuse of needing some air that was probably unheard and unnoticed by the others as they watched Martyn's score climb higher and higher.

Sips watched the taller man leave, following only moments later and finding the other man sitting on the hard steps leading into the building.

Smith turned as he approached, his eyes momentarily skimming over Sips before turning back to stare towards the river a few hundred yards to their right.

Sips sat himself down next to the other man, scrunching his nose as the cold of the slab step seeped through his jeans and into his skin causing goose bumps to rise along his arms.

"How's that new brother of yours?" Sips asked, not looking at Smith as he did, instead staring towards the river like the other man.

Sips caught a slight nodding movement out the corner of his eyes. "He's good." Smith confirmed. "Wants me to go see him soon." He paused a second. “It’s weird. Talking to him. Can’t really tell him anything about what I do or you guys or anything.”

Sips made a positive sound in agreement. “Heard anything from Ross?”

Smith huffed a bitter noise into the air. “Nope.”

“Have you tried calling him? Maybe not being in the same room whilst you try and talk will be easier?” Sips suggested.

“Maybe.” Smith sighed, rubbing at his face and stretching his legs out in front of him.

“Well you gotta at least try, right?” Sips encouraged. “It’s horrifying enough to look at your face on a normal day, when you’re miserable it’s just plain cruel to the rest of us.”

Smith rolled his eyes at Sips’ attempt at humour but answered anyway. “I’ll call him.”

Sips smiled and gave a curt nod, with his hand on Smith’s shoulder he pushed himself to his feet and made his way back inside.

Smith turned and watched him go, pulling his phone out of his pocket and staring down at the lock screen for a few minutes before even keying in his pin.

As soon as he pressed the call button he wished he hadn't. The international ringing causing him to narrow his brows in confusion, he hadn't expected them to go out of the country and was a little hurt that Ross hadn't even dropped him a text to let him know.

The call was answered just as his patience was about to snap, and at first he assumed the voice greeting him on the other end was the start of his voicemail rather than Ross himself. "Hello?"

Smith swallowed, tears already springing to his eyes. He could feel his nose burning in his efforts to not make a sound that could be deciphered by Ross as what it really was. "Hey." He croaked back, voice sounding heavy with drink more than emotion.

A silence struck, Smith could hear the rustling of movement from the other end of the phone but Ross didn’t speak, evidently waiting for Smith to take the lead since he had been the one to call.

"Are you okay?" Smith asked, the phone pressed almost painfully to his ear so he could hear every single sound.

Ross cleared his throat. "Yeah, are you?" He asked back, talking more before Smith could actually answer. "You sound like shit."

Smith huffed an amused laugh through his nose and gave into his drink addled brain which was screaming at him to tell Ross the truth. "I haven't been doing too well." It was a gross understatement, but it was a start.

Smith could imagine Ross' look at that admission, a raise of eyebrows that would scream 'you fucking think?' The thought made him smile. "I haven't either." Ross replied after a few beats longer than was strictly comfortable.

Smith pressed his lips together, hard. "I have been a massive prick to you." He said, voice gentle.  
Ross didn’t offer comment to this, remaining silent on the other end of the phone. Smith could hear his steady breaths and took solace in the fact that Ross hadn't hung up the phone on him, yet. "I don’t want to go into it on the phone but I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry and I miss you and I want you to come home." Smith rambled, not being able to hold out against the silence.

Still no reply came from the man on the other end of the phone and Smith had to fight against the urge to say more, to let his whole brain spill out of his mouth and down the phone line to wherever Ross was.

"I can’t come home yet, Smith." Ross eventually replied in a soft voice. The addition of Smith's name having the desired effect of him realising that his answer wasn’t linked to their issues but to something else. "We found some leads about the wolf stuff and we need to follow it through."

Smith nodded his head, even though the other man couldn’t see him. "Okay." He replied. "Do you have any idea how long it will take?"

"No." Ross answered. "Hopefully we find something more out tomorrow, we have an appointment with someone."

Smith sniffed, trying to cover up that fact that tears were streaming down his cheeks and that his face was burning from the effort by coughing. "It's cold out here."

"Where are you?" Ross asked, the first bit of information he had requested off Smith without prompting since they had last seen each other.

"Sips convinced a bunch of us to go bowling with him, they're on the arcade right now but it was too hot in there. I think we're meant to be doing karaoke in a bit."

The smile was evident in Ross' voice as he spoke. "I'm sorry I'm missing it then. What are you going to sing?"

"Who said I would be?"

Ross laughed then, a sound Smith hadn't heard in way too long. "And deny yourself the rush of performing?"

"Are you calling me an attention whore?" Smith asked with a smirk.

"If the shoe fits, mate."


	8. The O'Whelans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ross and Kim find who they have been looking for.

Arlene had been an invaluable source of information. She had been able to put the two friends in touch with a few packs around the world and through them they had been able to track down the O’Whelans who had relocated to a small town in Canada some twenty years previously. 

Arlene had also been able to offer supplies to Kim so she could cast further transportation spells for them to continue on their journey with a promise of sending custom the other woman’s way in the future from their friends. 

Arlene had wished them luck as they departed through the portal to the other side of the world. 

**********

Kim returned to the hotel room with a couple of bags filled with various snacks. “Chocolate?” She queried, voice soft as she tried to gauge what kind of mood the phone call from Smith had left Ross in. 

Ross looked up and smiled sadly, accepting the bar of confectionary from her and then laying back on the large bed. 

“That bad?” She asked, throwing the bags to a chair and lying down next to him and turning her body to face him. 

Ross made a non-committal noise and shifted his position so he was lying on his side, face half a foot away from Kim’s. “It was okay.” 

“Okay?” She prodded. 

Ross let out a long breath. “He apologised.” 

“Good.” She replied, matter of fact. 

Ross rolled his eyes. “Said he missed me and admitted he was a huge twat.” 

Kim smiled despite herself. “You miss him.” She stated, already knowing it was true from the longing she could feel radiating through their link. 

He nodded. “I’m not saying that it’s all better between us.” He admitted. “There’s a lot that we need to talk about, I think.” 

The short girl offered him a smirk, glad that he wasn’t about to forgive and forget everything at the drop of a hat. Sitting up, Kim dragged one of the bags towards them from the chair and rifled through it. “I found Cheetos.” She announced, changing the subject and waving them above her friend who lunged for the snack but missed as she pulled it out of his reach. “Ah Ah.” She chided. “You gotta say please.” 

Ross’ eyes narrowed. “I don’t gotta do anything.” He said before once more reaching out to grab at the bag. 

Kim sprang back, leaping off the bed to the floor with the bag still in her hand. “Now I am definitely not going to share.” 

Ross growled low in his throat and rolled off the bed to land on his feet. “Wanna bet?” He asked darkly. 

Kim readied her stance and leapt to the side with a squeal of laughter as Ross launched himself in her direction. 

**********

The taxi driver had been surprised but happy enough to take them to the O’Whelan place, he chatted away to Ross about how they kept to themselves and rarely ventured into town as Kim sat in the back and watched the forest whiz passed as they drove down winding roads. 

The gate to the road leading to the house was a huge, black, wrought iron affair that gave the impression that the properties owners didn’t want any visitors. 

“This is it.” The driver said, pulling the vehicle close to the gates. “They expecting you?” 

Kim met the driver’s eyes in the rear view mirror and nodded. “Yep, we’ll just get out here. How much do we owe you?” 

Ross stepped out of the vehicle as Kim paid for their journey and walked towards the gates, joined moments later by his friend. 

They waited for a few moments for the taxi to leave before pressing the call button to the left side of the gate. 

Kim shifted her rucksack into a more comfortable position as they waited for their call to be answered. 

The voice was tinged with a soft accent, somehow it was both Canadian and Irish, certain words bringing out the more Gaelic undertones. “Can I help you?” 

Kim nudged Ross and he stepped forwards, leaning down towards the microphone to ensure he could be heard clearly. “Yeah, hello.” He started. “We’re looking to speak to Aiden O’Whelan.” 

The muffled sound of the microphone being covered by what Ross assumed was a hand came through the line followed by an equally muffled shout of ‘Da!’ 

The two friends waited in silence, sharing quizzical looks as a hushed conversation that they couldn’t decipher was had on the other end of the line. 

The sound of a throat being cleared was quickly followed by a greeting. “Hello?” The voice carried a stronger Irish accent, hardly softened by the Canadian accent that the previous voice held. “This is Aiden O’Whelan, what’s your business?” 

Ross wet his lips before replying. “My name is Ross Hornby and I’m here with my friend Kim Richards and we’d like to speak to you in private about some things.” 

“Being coy with me is not going to get me to open the gate, boy. Tell me what you want or leave my property.” 

“We have some personal things we need to discuss with you.” Ross tried. 

Kim rolled her eyes and interjected, laying a hand on the gate and directing her face towards the microphone. “It’s wolf stuff.” 

The gate buzzed and Kim pushed it open in one smooth movement, smirking at Ross as they stepped through. “Thank you.” She called over her shoulder towards the intercom. 

Ross watched the gate close with a sense of dread, he had never liked locked places, too many bad memories of having no escape had a ball forming in the pit of his stomach and he had to fight against the urge to just bolt. 

Kim tugged at his sleeve to hurry him towards the house. 

The door opened as they approached the porch, a man with short sandy coloured hair, littered with grey around the temples stepped out and looked over the two friends. “Aiden O’Whelan.” He introduced himself, holding a hand out to Ross as he and Kim climbed the steps. 

Ross stood at least half a foot taller than the man in front of him, extending a hand he introduced himself. “Ross.” 

The man’s hand was warm against his own but Ross shivered, the power emanating from this man was like a barely contained tidal wave, ebbing and crashing against some kind of barrier that Ross was sure if the man wished to remove would have utterly desolated him. 

Kim stepped up to Aiden as the two men broke the handshake, Kim took his hand and locked her dark eyes with his murky green ones. “Kim.” She introduced herself, smiling at the feeling of confusion coming from the other man, her magic and the presence of the wolf combining into something he was likely to not have felt before. 

“Pleasure.” Aiden commented as he slid his hand from Kim’s. “Please, come in.” He said backing into the house and closing the door once the two friends had entered. 

Ross shuffled into the house behind Kim and followed as they were led through a doorway to a sitting room where a boy that looked to be around their own age was lounging on a large sofa playing something on his smart phone. 

Aiden stepped up to the boy who looked up at him with a sigh. “Alright, I’m going.” It was the voice that had originally greeted Ross and Kim at the gate. 

“Tell Rowan I need him in here.” 

The boy made a mock salute and took his phone back. “Sure thing, Da.” 

Aiden turned as the boy was at the door and gestured to the now empty sofa. “Make yourselves at home.” He instructed, moving to sit in an armchair across from where they were to be seated. 

Ross shrugged off his rucksack and set it on the floor, perching on the edge of the seat offered to him as Kim sat back more casually. 

The room was large, with a massive open fire along one wall and bookshelves lining another, a bay window looked out over the grounds to the front, the wrought iron gate just visible to the right. 

“You have a nice place here.” Kim commented just before the door opened and another man joined them, he was younger than Aiden but still into at least his late thirties. Without breaking stride, he came to sit next to Aiden on another chair and looked at the two friends expectantly. 

“Thank you.” Aiden muttered before introducing the newcomer. “This is my brother Rowan, one of my Beta’s.” 

Kim raised an eyebrow. “You have more than one?” 

Rowan answered, voice almost as thick with an Irish accent as his brothers. “Me and my fiancé Clara.” 

“I take it you haven’t been around a large pack before?” Aiden asked, relaxing back into his seat. 

Ross shook his head. “It’s just the two of us, we have met another wolf but that didn’t exactly go well.” 

Rowan huffed in amusement. “Was he after your girl?” He asked gesturing to Kim who let out a loud bark of a laugh. 

Aiden smiled. “The girl is the Alpha.” He supplied, remembering the power emanating from Kim when he had shook her hand. “And they are most certainly not mates.” 

Rowan shrugged. “What happened with this other wolf then?” 

“Kidnapped one of our friends, tortured him and then tried to kill us all.” Kim answered with a sweet smile that unsettled Rowan and amused his brother.

“We spent some time with the pack in Ontario last week, they knew him. Said this other wolf had a bit of a run in with you guys in the past too.” Ross said, meeting Aiden’s eyes. “Jason Francis.” 

Rowan made a noise of disgust at the name. “That arsehole?” He spat. “I hope you taught him a lesson.” 

“If killing him is a learning experience then yes, we did.” Kim deadpanned. “But that isn’t why we came to talk to you.” 

“This should be good.” Rowan grinned. 

Kim looked to Ross but he just gestured for her to continue, apparently happy to leave the talking up to her. “Ross had a bit of an incident during the whole ‘friend being kidnapped thing’ and he shifted into his wolf form but it wasn’t the full moon.” 

Rowan and Aiden shared a look but didn’t offer anything. 

Ross leant forward and eyed them both. “We did some research from there, there’s stories, legends even- about your clan back in Ireland being able to shift at will.” 

Aiden pressed his lips together in a thin, pale line for a moment before speaking. “There are legends, yes. Old and buried and they’re supposed to be forgotten.” 

“Supposed to be, maybe but they aren’t. Not when you go digging for them.” Kim said reaching into her bag and pulling out a couple of old, leather bound books. “Only problem is that they mention it is possible but not how you actually do it. We thought you might be able to help us with that.” 

Aiden looked at Rowan and gestured at the door with a flick of his head, both men stood. “I have been rude, not offering you a drink.”

“Terrible host.” Rowan agreed. 

Kim narrowed her brows, her voice lowering. “Tea, black, two sugars.” 

Rowan nodded as Aiden enquired after Ross’ choice of beverage, both men leaving the room and closing the door behind them. 

Ross shot to his feet and strode to the window to try and slow the beating of his heart against the panic that was beginning to form from the two men’s strange actions. “I don’t like this, we need to get out of here.” 

Kim pushed herself to her feet and shook her head at him. “We need answers.” 

Ross wet his lips and scrubbed at his face with a hand. “This place doesn’t feel right.” 

“It’s the pack thing, being in another pack’s territory.” She answered, coming to stand next to him and reaching for his hand. The physical contact eased the tension in the taller man, their bond radiating confidence and strength.


	9. Meeting Mark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smith goes to see Mark for the first time

Mark read the message with a smile, it had been a couple of days since he had given the letter to his father to pass onto his brother and he had been flitting between hoping for an answer and dreading it at the same time, in case Alexander wanted nothing to do with him. 

The message was simple but welcoming in its shortness. ‘Hi Mark. It’s Alex Smith. I like games too, I’m a huge Dota fan, what about you?’ 

The ensuing back and forth conversations felt pretty easy, questions passing between them about their interests and lives. Both avoided talking about their shared blood, instead focusing on more trivial details like favourite foods and, for some reason that was a complete mystery to both, a conversation that spanned days about what they would do should a zombie apocalypse occur. 

It was only a week later that Alex asked for his Blizzard username so they could challenge each other to games of Hearthstone and video chat over Skype. 

Mark cleaned his glasses in nervousness as he waited for Alex to reply to his invitation, shoving them back over his eyes as Alex accepted the request and the widow expanded to load the feed. 

Alex wasn’t what he expected, his hair much lighter than his own and with a stubbly ginger looking beard. Alex waved at him and adjusted his headset, angling the microphone closer to his mouth. “Alright mate?” 

“Yeah.” Mark answered with a smile. “Nice to meet you.” 

Alex scratched at the stubble on his chin. “You too, man. So, you fancy getting your arse kicked then?” 

Mark huffed a dismissive noise. “Not a chance.” 

“Such confidence.” Alex remarked. “I’ll go easy on you so you don’t feel too bad when I thrash you.” 

Mark laughed. “You’re just saying that to save face when you lose.” 

Alex grinned back at him down the webcam. “Fine, I’ll go balls to the wall but don’t go crying to your mom when I crush you.” 

**********

The games had been pretty balanced, both losing as many as they won and hitting a stalemate that they couldn’t seem to break. 

It had been hours, good natured ribbing passing between the two as they swore and insulted their way through rounds into the early morning. 

“How much practice do you have at this game?” Mark asked, exasperated as Alex killed him and put the score back to being even. 

Smith shrugged at the webcam. “It’s Turps’ fault, he keeps goading me into playing him because Lewis and Sips won’t anymore.” 

Mark shot him a confused look and pushed his chair back from his desk so he could stretch his legs out. “They your friends?” Mark asked. Alex hadn’t said much about his life outside of mentioning a couple of names when they talked about games they had played. 

“Yeah, there’s a bunch of us that hang out all the time and play games and watch films and stuff.” 

“That sounds nice.” Mark replied, his voice a little sad. “I haven’t made any friends that I talk to outside of college here yet.” 

“I’m sorry mate.” Alex said, face falling in sympathy. It hadn’t been so long ago that Trott was pretty much his only friend and he remembered the sting of it. 

Mark shrugged at him. “I’m sure I’ll make some, just have to find out where the nerds hang out in this shitty little town.” 

Alex laughed. “Yeah, once you find the weirdos you’ll fit right in.” 

Mark shot him the finger with a smirk. “Because you are so normal.” 

Alex held his hands up. “I never claimed to not be a weirdo, mate.” 

**********

Mark waited nervously, leaning against the phone box and waiting for Alex to emerge out of the train station doors. Mark pushed his glasses further up his nose and checked the time on his phone for what must have been the twentieth time since arriving ten minutes earlier. 

“Alright, prick?” Mark turned to grin at Alex as he approached with his arms flung wide. “Come ‘ere, little bro.” Alex said pulling the other man into a quick hug and ruffling his hair. 

Mark reached his hands up once Alex released him to fluff his hair back in place. “Journey alright?” He asked as Alex adjusted the strap of the rucksack slung over one shoulder. 

Alex nodded. “Yeah, was fine.” 

“I had to park on the other side of town.” Mark explained gesturing for them to start walking. 

Alex fell into step beside him, looking around at the mixture of old and new architecture that lined the street. “How long have you been living here?” He asked, trying to make small talk. 

“Three months.” Mark answered. “It’s an okay place, pretty quiet and stuff. Not much going on, not like where I grew up at all.” 

“You grew up in a city?” 

Mark nodded. “Yeah, always loud and bright but that meant there was always somewhere to go or something to do.” 

“Sounds cool.” Alex agreed. “I lived in the country growing up, surrounded by farms and woods and stuff.” 

Mark led them around winding streets before coming upon a main intersection of shops that pretty much looked like any small town in the country. “Did you go cow tipping and play pooh sticks on the river?” He mocked as they picked their way around slow moving shoppers. 

“It’s not the thirties.” Alex argued. “Although me and Trott did try cow tipping once with his brother but we couldn’t get it to move and then the bull came and chased Trott into a lake.” Both men laughed. “It was pretty funny and then we had to try and sneak him back into his house without his mom seeing because he was covered in algae and soaking wet but she suspected something was going on when Steve and I showed up, shoeless and asking for her to help us with something.” 

Mark pointed his car key away from himself and pressed a button, orange lights flashed and the approached the vehicle, they both climbed inside. “Did you get caught?” 

Alex nodded and smiled in memory. “I told her I pushed Trott into a river because she would go easier on me, Trott had done it enough times for me with my mom.” 

Mark smiled and started the engine. “Trott sounds pretty cool.” 

Alex’s answered with a lopsided grin. “Yeah, just don’t tell him I told you that.” 

*********

Mark’s house was big, much bigger than Alex’s mothers modest three bedroom semi-detached and once again Alex had to push down any small sense of resentment he felt.

It was stupid really, resenting someone who had no control over the things that were causing the feelings. It wasn’t Mark’s fault that Alex’s father had left, it wasn’t Mark’s fault that his father had chosen to stay with his mother and build a life – a life that had nothing to do with Alex. 

He honestly didn’t want anything to do with his father, not really – but it stung, it stung when he would see his friends parents, it stung when he was a child and had to watch his mother struggle for money and see the pained look on her face when Alex would ask for something that the other children had but they couldn’t afford. By the time he was a teenager he had stopped asking for anything out of guilt that no child should feel. 

Alex had seen it all before, growing up around Trott’s wealth had prepared him for seeing others having much more than he and his mother could ever have but the first initial wave of jealousy still hit him. 

Mark immediately led him up a wide set of stairs that forked onto two hallways, he took a left and pushed open a dark wooden door into a room that must have been larger than one storey of Smith’s whole house. 

Mark shrugged off his jacket and threw it onto a sofa that was set against one of the walls, in front of a large flat screen television. 

Smith stood just inside the door and looked around the room that was littered with expensive technology, two computers, a laptop and a couple of tablet’s littered across the built in desk that stretched across the whole of the one wall. 

“You’ll be in one of the guest rooms.” Mark said as he threw himself down on the sofa. “I’ll show you in a bit.” 

Alex nodded and dropped his rucksack to the floor by the door, going to sit down on the sofa with his brother. “So what do you usually do for fun around here?” 

Mark shrugged. “Play games mostly, watch films and stuff.” 

“Where’s your mom?” Mark had told him before that his dad was out of town – that was the only reason Alex had agreed to come visit, he wasn’t sure he was ready to come face to face with the man, especially with everything else going on in his life with Ross and his own mental health. 

“She left this morning, said she would be back in a couple of days.” 

“Do they do this often? Just leave you here alone.” Alex asked. 

Mark shrugged a shoulder. “Sometimes.” 

They lapsed into silence for a moment, awkwardness creeping in. Alex took a breath. “You said you had questions for me?” He asked referencing their conversation from the night before where Mark had wanted to talk more about Alex’s life but Alex had, had to make apologies and leave to help Duncan with research. 

Mark nodded and kicked off his shoes, reaching for his remote to play some music that he turned down to a low level for some background noise. “I just want to know more about you, my dad couldn’t tell me anything and you don’t talk about yourself much.” 

Alex followed suit and pulled his shoes off so he could lean against the arm of the sofa with his legs extended across the empty seat. “What do you want to know?”

Mark shrugged in response. “I don’t know, you just seem a bit closed off. One minute you’re ripping the piss out of me and screaming at people to suck a dick and then the next time I speak to you you’re quiet and seem really sad.” 

Alex’s grin that had been present during the beginning of Mark’s explanation dropped from his face by the end of it and it concerned Mark, he didn’t want to push – he had only just got to know his brother but he was concerned. 

“Sometimes I am.” Alex admitted, not meeting Mark’s eye. “Sad, I mean.” He clarified. 

Mark nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help?” 

Alex huffed a breath in amusement and shook his head. “Apparently it’s just going to take some time according to my friends.” 

“Did something happen?” 

Alex wet his lips and nodded gently. “I can’t really talk about it, but there was a fight between me and my friends and another group – it didn’t go well, Trott almost died.” Mark could tell Alex was holding something back but couldn’t figure out what it was and didn’t push, he hadn’t figured out how hard he could push the other man yet and thought now was probably not the right time to test. 

“But everyone is okay now, right?” Mark asked, trying to cheer Alex up. 

Alex smiled for a brief second. “Physically yeah, everyone on our side is fine.” He conceded. “I dunno –“ Alex said, his eyes falling out of focus as he stared at the wall on the other side of the room. “I guess things have just been a little weird since the fight and then Ross and Kim left for a while and it just feels like being abandoned.” 

Mark wasn’t really sure what to say to that so settled on reassuring. “I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

“I fucking hope so.” Alex sighed, shifting his focus back to Mark’s face. “I haven’t told you about Ross, have I?”

“You’ve mentioned him a couple of times when we talked about games and stuff.” 

Alex smiled then, a lopsided grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes that Mark had not seen on his face before. “Where do I even start with Ross?” Alex whispered to himself, bringing a hand up to run through his messy hair.


	10. Leaning and Phone calls

The door creaked open slowly, their host looking in confusion at the sofa where the two friends had been sitting previously before catching sight of them at the window and entering the room with a tray of drinks. 

Kim squeezed Ross’ hand a final time before slipping hers out of his and approaching the other man in the room. “I take it you have made a decision?” She asked, eyeing him. 

"Nothing gets passed you, does it?” He asked. 

Kim shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “You have to look after your pack, I’d do the same.” 

“You mentioned a pack before but that there are only two wolves, you consider humans to be your pack?” He asked, seeming genuinely curious. 

“Yes.” Kim answered without pause. “We have a group of magic users, our friends.” She smiled, thinking about the office. “More like family really.” 

Aiden smiled at her. “How is it a little cub like you has such presence?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Because I trust my instincts, I don’t fight against them – It only leads to trouble if I ignore my gut.” 

Aiden’s smile widened to a grin. “Well at least that is one lesson we won’t have to teach you.” He commented. “Makes things much easier.” 

Ross watched as Kim cocked her head to the side and locked eyes with the Irishman for a moment before a smile blossomed across her face. “I like you.” She spoke, voice matter-of-fact. 

Aiden nodded and returned her smile. “My daughter Cassidy will be directing you in your training.” He said, lifting Kim’s cup and offering it to her. 

Kim took the cup and nodded. “Thank you.” She said, referring to both the help and the tea.

*********

Cassidy, or Cass as she insisted the two friends call her, was very different to the impression they had gotten of her father. Seeming to take more after her uncle, the girl wasn’t much taller than Kim but had an easy confidence that would have put Sips to shame. 

The first day they talked, theories being passed back and forth between the three of them. The O’Whelans seemed to be thoroughly in the realm of ‘if it works then don’t question it’, the lessons not really having any concrete facts or traceable origins behind them other than that they had been passed down through the generations and worked. 

Ross was struggling with the application of the theory, he agreed wholeheartedly that he should let his instincts guide him and he wanted to be able give in and change at will but there was something blocking him. All his life, he had needed to be in control of himself and letting that go – giving himself over to the wolf inside was terrifying to him. 

Kim had taken to it like a duck to water, throwing herself into the study and practical application of what they were being taught with everything she had. The first day she had already managed to tap into the wolfs sense of smell and enhanced eyesight – something that took Ross several days and a number of migraines. 

Cass sighed and gestured to Ross. “You stay.” She said before looking to Kim. “You can go for the day.” 

Ross rolled his eyes as Kim glanced at him and left the room. Ross sat back on his chair and folded his arms across his chest as Cass perched on the edge of the large wooden table, her feet swinging back and forth. “You need to let go of whatever it is keeping you from being able to do this.” She said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. 

“I’m trying.” Ross answered, his jaw clenched. 

“Not hard enough.” She replied, challenging him with a glare to argue back. 

**********

It had been another frustrating day for the dark haired man. He stomped back to the room he had been given by the O’Whelans for the duration of his stay and closed the door before giving in and falling to the bed, face first and letting out an angry scream into the pillow. 

Nothing he did helped to pull the wolf through and Kim’s way of explaining how it felt was doing nothing but make him more frustrated at himself that he still wasn’t getting it. They had been with the O’Whelans for weeks now and he still hadn’t been able to muster up even a slight shift at will. 

Kim was in the vast library, researching as much as she could about the wolf whilst she had access to the books but Ross couldn’t bring himself to stare at the pages. He didn’t want to think about it anymore – any of it. He needed a break. 

The phone was ringing before he even realised he had actually pressed the button to dial. 

“Hey.” Smith greeted, sounding much happier than Ross had heard in a while. 

Ross wet his lips and began speaking. “I have had a horrible day and I don’t want to talk about it, I need you to just talk at me so I can listen to your voice and pretend that everything is fine, okay?” 

Smith paused before responding. “Alright.” He answered gently, not used to Ross actually asking him for anything and taking it as a good thing that he was now. “I do actually have something to tell you, I was going to wait until you came back but I can just ramble about it now instead if you want?” 

Ross scrunched his nose up and rolled onto his side on the bed, the phone trapped between his ear and the pillow. “Is it about us?” 

Smith answered him quickly. “No, no, no. It’s about me, kind of-“ He paused. “I got a letter from my dad, the day before you-“ He stopped.

“-left.” Ross supplied. 

“Yeah.” Smith agreed gently. “And it was about my brother.” 

Ross reached up and grabbed the phone so he could sit up. “You have a brother?” He asked, hurt creeping into his voice. 

“It was news to me too.” Smith said, followed by a sigh. “When my dad left, he met this other woman and pretty much immediately got her pregnant and moved in with her and they’ve been playing happy families ever since.” 

Ross rubbed at his face with his free hand. “I’m sorry, Alex.” 

Smith grunted a neutral noise. “It’s fine.” He said, sounding anything but. “So, yeah. Mark is only a year younger than us and he didn’t know about me until a couple of days before I got the letter, he badgered his dad to get in touch with me so he could get to know me and shit.” 

“You’ve spoken to him then?” Ross asked. 

“Yeah, got to know him a bit and then I went up to see him last weekend.” 

“Did you see your dad?” Ross asked quietly. 

Smith huffed an amused noise. “Fuck no, made sure he was not going to be there. Ended up just being me and Mark, his mom went away for the weekend too. It was nice though, I think you’ll like him.” 

Ross smiled at that, something like butterflies stirring in his stomach at the way that Smith had said it, like it mattered that Ross and Mark would get on. “Does he know about your powers?” 

“Nah.” Smith answered. “Not really sure how I could bring it up without sounding mental or being carted off to some government research thing and being dissected.” He joked. 

“Yeah, that is an issue.” Ross deadpanned. “You don’t think he might have some too though? Doesn’t it run in families?” 

Ross could almost hear the shrug from the other end of the phone. “Sometimes.” Smith answered. “But unless I see him using them then I don’t know how I’ll know. I could get Turps to meet him but even then there is no guarantee that he would be thinking about it at the time and it feels kind of wrong to poke around in his head like that without asking first.” 

Ross nodded, even though Smith couldn’t see him. “You told him about us?” He asked, stomach knotting in anticipation of the answer. 

Smith paused for a few beats. “A bit.” 

“A bit?” Ross questioned. 

Smith sighed. “It’s kind of hard to tell him about something that I don’t really know what it is anymore.” He started explaining, causing Ross’ stomach to drop. “I told him that we have been going through a rough patch and that you left for a while to figure out some personal stuff and I didn’t know what that meant for us.” 

“I was more getting at the fact that I am a guy, not our relationship problems.” Ross answered, trying not to sound snappy. 

“Of course I have.” Smith answered, sounding offended. “Of course I told him about you and how much you mean to me, you’re a huge fucking part of my life Ross – I’m not just going to pretend that you aren’t because we had a few arguments, I’m not that much of a prick.” 

“Really?” Ross asked, wiping away the single tear that had somehow fallen down his cheek without him noticing. 

Smith cleared his throat and Ross could hear him shifting his position on the other end of the phone. “Ross,” He started. “I wasn’t lying all those times that I told you that I love you. I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to be with you forever and yeah, we are going through some shit right now and I don’t know, maybe Zoey and Trott are right and it isn’t my fault but that doesn’t really matter either way because I cannot let go of one of the only good things I have in my life.” 

Ross sniffed but was glad that Smith seemed to ignore it. “I want to come home.” Ross admitted, voice almost a whisper as it hit him, for probably the first time, what that meant. Home was something he hadn’t felt in a long time, almost as long as he could remember. He had places and sometimes there were people that he connected with but the guys in the office were his family now – That building wasn’t just a building, it was his home – it was where he could go where he wouldn’t be judged and where he felt comfortable and safe and right. “I really want to come home, Alex.” He repeated. 

*********

Ross wasn’t sure if it was the need to return to Smith and his friends that finally got him to break through the barrier, or if it was the more patient and understanding tutelage of Clara that had done it. 

Clara understood Ross in a way that the others didn’t, she knew what it was like to have to rely solely on yourself for survival and the fear behind giving into something that you were not one hundred percent sure you could control. 

The last week passed quickly, Ross’ progress outstripping Kim’s and starting a friendly rivalry between the two to progress faster until they had learned all they could and finally decided that their time in Canada was done. 

The O’Whelans gathered around them as Kim set up the herbs for the spell and Ross quietly said his goodbyes to Clara who pulled him into a hug and tapped at his face with the flat of her palm. “You look after yourself.” She ordered. “And stay in touch.” 

Ross nodded at her. “I will.” 

“And go make up with that boy.” She added. “It’s the only time you actually smile and mean it, when he is mentioned.” 

Ross lifted his upper lip and mock growled at her. She laughed and pushed him away. “Go on, bugger off.”


	11. Explosions

Katie rounded the corner into the common room and smiled at Chris, Smith and Duncan who were sitting hip to hip on the small sofa with controllers in their hands and grimaces on their faces. 

The redhead leant against the doorframe and watched as they shouted obscenities at each other, nudging out with sharp elbows in ribs and knocking knees to put each other off the race. 

“No, Duncan!” Smith shouted. “Stop smashing my back doors in!” 

“Never!” Duncan said back with a grin, his eyes fixed on the screen. 

“Don’t pretend you don’t love it Smith.” Chris shot back, leaning to the side to bump his shoulder against the taller man’s arm. 

“You and Trott both love a good pounding.” Duncan commented leaning further forward in his seat. 

“Fuck you!” Chris shot at the other two, dropping the controller to his lap and sitting back. “I win again!” 

Smith threw himself back in his seat. “Only because you don’t have a life and constantly practice.” He accused. 

Chris laughed. “If that’s what makes you feel better after I thrash you, mate. And I thought you played this all weekend with your brother? What’s your excuse?” 

 

Smith smirked. “That was the PC version - totally different.” He protested as he watched Duncan barely make it to the finish before he got a DNF. 

Trott’s eyes flicked up and he caught sight of Katie at the door, a beaming smile spreading across his features. “And on that note, lads. I am going to go have that life I so desperately need.” He informed, pushing himself up from the sofa and making his way towards the door. 

“Use protection!” Duncan called with a snigger. 

Katie rolled her eyes and locked eyes with Smith, daring him to make a comment. “I left the microscope in the library, if you need to find Trott’s knob.” He grinned at the girl. 

Chris put an arm around Katie’s shoulder and flipped Smith off with his other hand but didn’t say anything as they turned and left the room. 

********** 

The couple retreated to Katie’s office, the redhead saying she wanted to show her boyfriend something that she probably should have a long time ago. Chris was curious and a little apprehensive as she wouldn’t tell him exactly what she needed to talk to him about. The events of the last months not really lending him to being positive about what was going to happen. 

Katie led the way through the corridor and gestured to the sofa once they were through the door, Chris sat down on the edge and watched as Katie opened a cupboard and pulled a box from a shelf above her head. 

It wasn’t much bigger than a shoe box, deeper but no wider or longer and was blue with white polka dots over it, the corners edged in silver metal to protect it from becoming scuffed. Katie tucked the box under her arm and closed the wardrobe before walking over and placing it gently onto the table in front of Chris and taking a seat next to him. 

“This is my memory box.” Katie supplied. “It has stuff in that I can use to see my own life through.” She continued, taking the lid off and putting it next to the box on the table. 

Leaning forward, Chris could see a variety of things in the box, jewellery, stones, hair clips, a watch, a small stuffed bear and various other trinkets. He offered her a confused look. 

Katie smiled at him. “Ross told me about Smith sharing his powers with him, so he could use Smith’s magic.” She started. “And I thought that maybe since I have seen so much about your life that it’s only fair that you get to do the same to me.” 

Chris turned to her, hand cupping her chin and his thumb stroking against her cheek. “You don’t have to.” He assured her, searching her eyes for any indication that she didn’t want to do this. 

“I want to.” She answered. “I think it will help, for you to see how the power works. And some things I just don’t think I can talk about and this way I can still share them with you.” 

Chris smiled gently. “You are much too good for me.” 

Katie grinned. “I know.” She said teasing. “But to be honest, having a boyfriend who knows how lucky he is to have me is much too good to just give up, even if I can do better.” 

Chris laughed and leant forwards to press his lips against hers briefly. 

“You ready?” Katie asked, reaching for Chris’ hand and interlacing their fingers. 

Chris nodded and Katie muttered the spell before pointing to the stuffed bear. “Pick that up.” She directed, guiding her power through their interlaced hands. 

As soon as Chris’ finger brushed the bear she knew it had worked. 

********** 

The sounds of a small explosion shook the door slightly and made the couple break apart. A look of 'what the fuck was that?' passing between them before they both scrambled to their feet and rushed towards the loud sounds of swearing. 

The kitchen was a mess, pots and cauldrons dotted around on every available surface, some old looking and traditional in style and some that were simply saucepans. 

Duncan was standing at the sink, water running over his left hand from the cold tap. Smith was standing near the fridge, away from the wall splattered in dark grey/brown liquid and looking down at his t shirt which was also sporting some of the concoction. 

“What the fuck are you doing in here?” Trott asked, scanning the room and making a face. 

Smith snapped his eyes to Trott’s, teeth flashing in a huge grin. “Alright, mate?” He greeted. “Nothing is going on in here, just some potions, nothing to concern yourself with, mate.” 

Trott flicked his eyes to Duncan who was still running cold water over his hand. “Lewis said we could.” He supplied, a little too quickly and high pitched to be strictly true. 

“Are you sure that’s what he said?” Katie asked, hands on her hips. Duncan looked away and Smith answered in his place. 

“He said, and I quote ‘you are not experimenting in the bloody library’.” Katie raised an eyebrow and trained her eyes on Smith who continued at the look. “And we aren’t, this is most certainly the kitchen and not the library.” 

Katie rolled her eyes. “What are you even trying to make?” She asked picking her way across the room to approach Duncan at the sink. 

“Sleeping potion.” The blonde man answered, pulling his hand from under the water and placing it in Katie’s waiting hand. 

Katie turned the appendage over. “It’ll be fine.” She murmured as Trott began speaking. 

“I thought you had given up on that?” It was directed at Smith. 

“Duncan found a new book so we thought we would give it another try.” 

Trott studied Smith’s face, harder than he had for a while and nodded. The bags under the other man’s eyes were dark, his skin tone paler than usual and his eyes were flat in a way that Trott had never seen them before. Quite simply, Smith needed sleep. 

“Why are they so different?” Katie asked peering into a saucepan that was half filled with a garish blue mixture with the consistency of rice pudding. 

Duncan shook his head at Smith with wide eyes, Katie gave them each a pointed look in turn. Smith ran a hand through his hair. “It was meant to be for you, and for Duncan.” 

Katie narrowed her brows, confusion colouring her features. 

Duncan pushed his glasses further up his nose with one finger. “We were trying to kind of make that drug that they gave Smith.” He didn’t need to explain who ‘they’ were, it was rare to hear their former foes mentioned by name, instead being referred to as a collective. 

Smith jumped in before Katie or Trott could question. “Just the power blocking part. We thought if we could make something that blocked powers for a short period of time then it could give you both a break.” 

Duncan nodded along with him. “Like I could take it before I go to sleep so that I don’t keep making fucking clones whilst I’m passed out.” 

Katie nudged the blonde with her shoulder. “That won’t stop why it’s happening Duncan.” 

Duncan huffed and pulled out one of the chairs, practically throwing himself in it and burying his face in his hands. “I know it won’t, but I don’t see how the fuck I am meant to get any better when I have zero energy all the time.” He said pulling his glasses off and throwing them to the table. “All I keep getting from people is that it’s going to ‘take some time’ and I need to be fucking ‘patient’ and that I ‘shouldn’t expect it to get better overnight’. Well fuck that!” The last sentence was practically shouted, and unfortunately for Duncan it was in two voices. 

The clone stood up and stepped away towards Duncan’s notebook which was open on the sideboard, leaving Duncan in his seat. The original blonde man let out a frustrated half scream and pressed his forehead to the wood of the table. 

A whispered expletive from the doorway had Duncan’s shoulders sinking down further. 

“When I said, not in the library I meant the whole fucking building…” 

Smith raised an eyebrow. “You should really learn to be more succinct mate.” 

Lewis stepped into the room gingerly and eyed the mess letting out a heavy sigh. “Clean this up.” He told the two men. “Then Duncan, we’re going away for a few days. You, me and Simon.” 

“Where?” Duncan asked lifting his head and squinting in the direction of the other man, his glasses still on the table. 

Lewis wrinkled his nose as he peered into some of the pots as he answered. “Alpha base.” 

Duncan snorted in amusement. “We aren’t going to fit in there anymore.” He replied. 

“That’s what magic is for Duncan.” Lewis answered heading for the door again. “I’ll be upstairs when you’re ready.” 

The others watched Lewis leave as Duncan pushed his glasses back onto his face and leant back in his seat, looking around the room with a grimace at the potion covered surfaces. 

“What the fuck is ‘Alpha Base’?” Smith asked. 

"A place Lewis and I used to hang out when we were kids, tree house type thing in the woods.” The blonde supplied before letting out a long whistle with two fingers in his mouth. 

A couple of seconds later another two clones arrived at the doorway. “Anything?” Duncan asked them. They both shook their head and Duncan sighed. “You three can clean this up, yeah?” He told the clones as he pushed himself to his feet. He didn’t wait for an answer as he strode out of the room. 

Katie shot a worried look towards Smith. “Lewis better figure out a way to help him on this trip.” She observed, worrying her bottom lip and looking at the empty doorway that Duncan had left through. 

Smith ran a hand through his already mussed hair, scratching at his scalp slightly. “I think Kim being away is making it worse.” 

Katie nodded and regarded Smith for a moment, not sure if she should ask the question. “Do you know when she’ll be back yet?” 

Smith raised his brows. “I’m not going to break if you ask me about Ross, Katie.” The girl shrugged and offered him an apologetic look. “I spoke to him last night.” He confirmed, a small smile lifting the edges of his mouth. “He said they should both be back next week but if that’s going to change then they’ll let us know.” 

Katie smiled back. “How did he sound? Is he doing okay?” 

Smith nodded and the smile widened on his face. “Said he was learning a lot but he missed being in the office, I told him to call you but it was around four am when we got off the phone. He will probably call you once it hits morning over there.” There was a small pause as the three friends lingered near the door and watched Duncan’s clones cleaning up the mess. “I should probably go wash this potion off before my whole body turns green or something.” Smith announced before turning and striding off towards his office.


	12. Return of the Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim and Ross return

Alex checked his watch for what felt like the hundredth time and frowned down at the second hand that seemed to be moving in slow motion across the face, his knee bouncing as he tapped his foot and waited, sitting on the edge of the sofa. 

Trott sighed from his position standing in front of the other man, and pressed his foot on top of Alex’s to stop it moving. “Calm your tits, mate.” He said, looking down at him. “They’ll be back soon.” 

Alex leant his head back and met Trott’s eyes but didn’t say anything as he moved his foot from underneath Trott’s and pushed himself up off the sofa to resume his pacing that he had started earlier that morning. 

Trott watched him for a moment and was about to open his mouth to say something else when the unmistakable prickling of magic crawled across the back of his neck and he turned to see a new door set into the wall. 

Katie shot to her feet next to Duncan and gave his hand a quick squeeze and offered him a beaming smile before pulling him to stand by the others near the door. 

Kim was practically a dark blur of movement as the door burst open and she flung herself at Duncan without even pausing. 

Ross stepped through more cautiously, holding both of their bags and depositing them on one of the tables in the room before greeting anyone. 

Katie eyed him as he turned to her, her small smile growing into a grin as she noted the lack of bags under her friend's eyes and the healthy colour of his face. With a couple of quick steps she wound her arms around his neck and rose to her tip toes. “You ever do that to me again and I will castrate you with a rusty knife.” She whispered against his neck. 

Ross laughed. “Missed you too, beautiful.” He mumbled, burying his nose into her hair and straightening his back to lift her a foot or so off the floor with his arms clamped around her waist. “I’m sorry.” 

She didn’t reply until she was back on her feet and could meet his eye. “Just don’t do it again.” 

The dark haired man nodded at her. “Okay.” 

Kim appeared to Katie’s left and the two hugged as Trott stepped around them. “Where’s mine?” He asked, arms open wide in jest. 

Ross raised his eyebrows at him and lunged forwards, picking the other man up and spinning in a few tight circles as Trott let out a less than manly squeal of terror. “That alright?” Ross asked as he placed Trott back down on his feet where he stumbled for a moment before finding his feet. 

“I suppose I did ask for that didn’t I?” Trott groaned. “It’s good to have you back mate.” 

Duncan was standing behind Kim, hunched over as she spoke rapidly to Katie with his head resting on her shoulder, he straightened up as Ross nodded to him. “Welcome home, mate.” Duncan greeted. 

Ross smiled at him and held a couple of fingers to his temple in a salute before turning his head to look at the one person he had avoided meeting the gaze of since he stepped through the door. 

The dark haired man automatically wet his lips and pressed them into a thin line as he took in Alex’s appearance, he looked tired and pale, and his hair was sticking up in all directions and it just made Ross want to run his fingers through it to put it into some kind of order. 

Smith leant back against the wall, his hands behind him as Ross moved closer to him. “Hey.” He mumbled. 

Ross’ eyes darted around Smith’s face for a few moments before he locked eyes with him. “Hey.” Neither man said anything for a few moments, both listening to the chatter from the others in the room as Kim caught them up on what they had been up to since she and Ross had left. 

Smith took a deep breath and pulled one of his hands out from behind his back, gesturing to the door. “You want to-?” 

“Uh- yeah. Sure.” Ross stuttered, walking towards the door with Smith following behind. 

Ross opened the door to his room and stood with his hands buried deep in his jean pockets as Smith shut the door behind himself. 

Smith ran a hand through his hair and huffed a breath through his nose before he spoke. “Did you, uh- learn everything you wanted?” 

“Yeah. We got what we needed.” 

“That’s good.” Smith said, dropping his hand back to his side. 

“Yeah.” 

Smith watched in silence as Ross kicked off his trainers and straightened some of the items on his desk, his hand coming up so he could worry the corner of his thumb nail with his teeth. 

Ross pulled his hand back from adjusting the position of a stack of books and took a step away from the desk, pulling the sleeves of his hoody down until they covered most of his hands, only his fingertips peeking out the very end of them. 

“I missed you.” Smith breathed out. It was so quiet that Ross wasn’t sure if he was meant to have heard it but he snapped his head up to look at the other man anyway. 

Smith was looking down at his shoes, his back leaning against the door and some of his too long hair covering one of his eyes. 

Ross strode over but Smith didn’t look up until Ross cupped his chin and tilted it up, crashing their lips together without warning. 

It happened so quickly that Smith wasn’t sure how he was suddenly sandwiched between Ross and the soft mattress, Ross’ hoody had been stripped from his shoulders and Smith had lost his shoes somewhere between the door and the bed. 

Ross’ one hand was in his hair, tugging at his wavy locks in a way that shut his brain down as his other hand ghosted over Smith’s torso under his shirt. Smith’s own hands were blazing trails over Ross’ back and sides, causing his dark t shirt to ride higher and higher as they nipped and licked and kissed at each other, breathing ragged and eyes screwed shut. 

They broke apart for a moment as Ross sat back on his knees and practically ripped his t shirt off over his head and threw it to the floor. 

Smith moved his head to the side, trying to catch his breath and get his brain to catch up with events. 

Ross wasn’t deterred, instead attacking the other man’s neck. Open mouthed kisses and gentle bites littering Smith’s jawline, down passed his pulse point and then spotted across his shoulder and collarbone. 

Smith’s hand tangled in Ross’ dark hair, their hips grinding together as the taller man let out keening moans from the back of his throat, a leg wrapping around Ross’ waist. 

Ross nudged at Smith’s face to get him to turn the other way so he could continue his ministrations on the other side of his neck. “Fuck-” Smith ground out. “Ross- just-” He stuttered as Ross’ hand that had been under his shirt trailed lower, moving between their bodies. “Ross-” Smith tried again, letting the leg previously wrapped around Ross to fall back to the bed. 

Ross hummed against his skin, shivers running down Smith’s spine from the vibrations against the sensitive skin on his shoulder. 

Smith unclenched the fist that was in Ross’ hair and trailed his hand from Ross’ back to push against his sternum. “Ross, stop.” 

Using one arm, Ross pushed against the bed and hovered over the other man who lay back against the pillows and scrubbed at his face with one hand. “What’s the matter?” 

Smith took a few deep breaths, pushing his hair out of his face and dropping his arm to the bed. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” 

Ross used the hand not holding himself up to stroke at Smith’s cheek with his thumb. “Who says?” He asked, leaning in to capture the other man’s lips in a slow kiss that sent Smith’s head spinning before resting their foreheads together and smiling down at the other man. 

“You are making this really fucking difficult.” Smith mumbled, his eyes still closed. 

Ross narrowed his brows and sat back on his knees in a quick movement that startled the man beneath him. “Are you fucking breaking up with me?” 

********** 

Kim watched with a worried expression as Smith and Ross left the room but was pulled out of it by Katie who met her eyes. “They’ll be fine.” She assured. 

Kim pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and turned back to the others with a beaming smile. “So, we did it.” 

Trott raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?” 

Kim nodded and moved away from the group, dragging one of the partitions towards the corner of the room and disappearing behind it, only the very top of her head visible once she stood to her full height, eyes just about visible over it if she stood on her toes. “What are you doing?” Duncan asked walking towards the partition. 

“Getting naked.” Kim answered, throwing her shirt at his head over the barrier and giggling as a blush spread across his face. 

Kim stripped quickly, and shook out her limbs a couple of times before sinking to the floor on her hands and knees and closing her eyes to pull the wolf forwards. 

She could feel it, right on the edge of her consciousness, something wild and almost primal. With deliberate delicacy she coaxed it closer, clearing her mind and concentrating on losing herself. 

Starting at her toes, Kim relaxed every part of her body, arms sagging slightly as a feeling of calm, serenity swept through her sending her to a place where Kim didn’t really exist anymore. A place void of human emotions, instead full of smells and sounds that clambered for her attention as her senses sharpened and a contented smile spread across her face. 

The shift was gentle, not the violent ripping of muscle and breaking of bone that had been her life every month for as long as she could remember. The bones floating into place, the pain of previous changes was nothing but a memory now. This was how it was supposed to be. 

Kim spread out her front paws and lowered her chin to the ground in a stretch, her rump still elevated before standing and stretching each of her back legs in turn and shaking her whole body, black fur shining in the sunlight streaming through the windows of the room. 

She padded forwards and around the barrier to regard her friends. 

Katie clapped both of her hands to her face and grinned. “Oh my god! You are so beautiful!” 

Kim tilted her head at the girl and strutted over, sitting down in front of her. 

“And vain.” Trott teased, Kim raised her top lip at him. Showing off her sharp teeth and making a gentle growling sound that made Trott chuckle. 

“And it doesn’t hurt anymore?” Duncan asked, well aware of how much it hurt for Kim to change after he asked to her tell him and spare no details some months previously. 

Kim shook her head at him and nudged at his hand with her nose until he stroked down her back. 

“Welcome home, Kim. We missed you loads.” Katie said, standing from where she had been crouched next to the wolf. “But we have to go, I’m going to meet Trott’s mom tonight.” 

The wolf made a questioning yelp of a noise that Katie took for a ‘good luck’. “See you tomorrow, yeah?” Trott asked, directing the question at Duncan. 

“Yeah, have fun.” Duncan replied, waving at the two as they left the room before looking down at Kim. “So, if I was to just take your clothes and we went back to mine…” 

Duncan didn’t know how exactly he knew that she was grinning but he laughed as she playfully nudged at the back of his legs to hurry him through the door once he had her clothes safely tucked under his arm.


	13. Why we are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> Sorry I missed posting last week, have an extra long one to make up for it! 
> 
> Much love   
> Vex

Smith snapped his eyes open and looked up at Ross. “What?” He asked, voice shaking slightly. 

Ross took a deep breath through his nose before answering. “Are you breaking up with me?” He repeated, his voice even. 

“What? Ross-“ Smith stuttered. “-No.” He insisted, sitting up so he could look at the other man more closely. “Do you want that?” He asked, applying liberal emphasis on the second word. Smith’s eyes darted over Ross’ features, trying to discern the answer from the crinkle of his brow or the downturn of his lips. 

Ross shook his head. “That’s the last thing I want.” 

Smith let out a breath he didn’t realise he had been holding, his heart hammering in his ribcage. “I love you.” He said gently, trying to convey as much sincerity through his eyes as possible. “And I have been such a massive prick and I didn’t want to just get carried away and help us avoid talking about this again.” He explained. “Me not telling you shit is what got us in this fucking mess in the first place.” 

Smith watched as Ross’ shoulders slumped down, seeming to relax a little. Ross shifted on the bed, his back leaning against the wall with his legs stretched out in front of him. “I just wanted us to be better, you know?” Ross asked quietly. “For us to go back to how we were before all the shit with Jason.” 

Smith sighed and crossed his legs, scooting over slightly so he could face the other man. “I know.” 

Ross wet his lips and stared at the opposite wall looking defeated. “I thought that you were done with me and I didn’t want to push you to talk about it in case I was right.” 

Smith regarded him for a moment. “And that would have been better? To be with someone who didn’t want you?” 

Ross shrugged. “I am so fucking in love with you that it terrifies me.” 

Smith opened his mouth to reply but his thoughts were too chaotic to put into order. Pleasure and pain at the other man’s statement coursing through him. 

Ross leant his head back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. “My happiness hasn’t been so reliant on the decisions and feelings of others since before my Nan died.” His hands came up to rake through his hair, fisting at a handful for a moment before his arm dropped back to the bed. “I didn’t have friends or people who cared about me for so long, that now-“ He broke off for a moment. “-I don’t even know how the fuck I am meant to act.” He continued. “Before there were always rules and I knew where I stood and how far I could push and what was expected of me but now- here-“ A frustrated huff of air sounded from the dark haired man. 

Smith listened, his whole attention focused on Ross. A man who never talked of his past and was always so in control of his emotions. It broke Smith’s heart to see him struggle so much. 

Reaching out a hand, Smith gently placed it on top of Ross’. “Please talk to me.” 

Ross sniffed. “This is all Zoey’s fault you know?” He laughed, sounding equally amused and bitter. “She just gets right in your head even when you aren’t even in the same fucking room or on the same fucking continent.” 

“What do you mean?” Smith asked as Ross turned his hand to lace his fingers with Smith’s 

“She called me a couple of days ago, said she needed to ask me something but it was just an excuse to try and get me talking I think.”

Smith snorted in amusement. “Yeah, she does that.” 

Ross worried his lower lip. “She said something to me though. Something that is so fucking obvious but I hadn’t thought about it.” 

Smith shuffled closer to the other man, noting his reluctance to look at him and deciding that if he wasn’t sitting in front of him it might make it easier for Ross. “What did she say?” He prompted.

“’How do you expect Smith, or any of us to be able to help or support you and make you feel less alone if you won’t tell any of us?’” Ross quoted, continuing as he turned and met his boyfriend’s eye. “’We aren’t all Turps.’” 

Smith barked a laugh. “Counsellor Zoey is apparently spouting that line to everyone.” He joked. 

“You got the same?” 

Smith nodded, catching Ross’ turn of the head out of the corner of his eye. “Yep.” He confirmed. “And it’s no less weird when you’re in the room with her, I promise.” 

Smith released Ross’ hand for a moment, shifting it to this other one so he could wrap an arm around the dark haired man’s shoulder and pull him closer. “Do you want to tell me about it?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” Ross answered, leaning into Smith’s embrace. “If I start then I don’t know if I will be able to stop.” 

Smith turned his head and pressed his lips to the other man’s forehead before burying his nose in Ross’ hair and taking comfort in the familiar smell of his shampoo. “We have a lifetime, there’s no pressure to stop.”

Ross swallowed, already feeling his eyes burning and his throat itching with emotions that he usually kept deep down and in check. 

A small sniff was all it took for smith to wrap his other arm around Ross and guide his head to rest against his chest. Small sobs started to wrack Ross’ body. Smith bit down on his own lip and tried not to make a sound as tears streamed down his own face. 

**********

It took a while for Ross to cry himself out. By the time he was wiping at his face and sniffing back the last of his tears Smith’s arms were tingling with pins and needles from being tightly wrapped around the other man. 

Ross averted his face and scrubbed at his cheeks with the heel of his palm. “Sorry.” He mumbled, straightening his back and bringing one of his knees up to his chest. 

Smith shook out his arm before gently pinching the other man’s chin between his forefinger and thumb, turning Ross’ face so he could look into his usually impossibly blue eyes that had turned a rich jade colour from crying. “No apologies for that, okay?” Smith said, quirking an eyebrow. A small smile ghosted over Ross’ lips. Smith smiled back at him. “How do you feel?”

Ross sighed. “Tired. Thirsty.” He listed. “But somehow better.” 

Smith nudged Ross’ shoulder with his own “Wait here, okay?” He asked, scooting forwards to get off the bed. “I won’t be long.” 

Ross nodded at him and watched as he left the room and closed the door behind himself. 

 

He supposed that it was only fair that everything had caught up to him. He spent so much time concentrating on making sure his friends were okay that he never gave much thought to himself. It was stupid of him really – how he could tell them that it was fine not to be okay and that sometimes life is shit but talking and sharing helps, yet he couldn’t take his own advice. 

Ross snorted in amusement at himself. How someone could simultaneously have such low self-esteem and think that the usual didn’t apply to them at the same time – like he was some kind of special person who didn’t get to feel bad –, was laughable. He wasn’t different – not in that regard anyway – and he knew that he needed to start being more open with his friends and Smith in particular, but it was going to be hard to unlearn years of keeping everything to himself. 

Smith arrived back in the room just as Ross was trying to figure out how to word his admission that he needed to tell Smith some things about his childhood. Smith was carrying a tray with a couple of mugs and two glasses of water. 

Smith placed the tray onto the bedside table and handed Ross one of the glasses before re-joining him on the bed. “Drink all of that.” The taller man directed before taking a gulp of his own water. 

Ross blinked hard a few times, his eyes itching with more tears at the easy affection that Smith exuded by doing something as simple as looking after his boyfriend. Ross took a deep drink and closed his eyes against the feeling of the cool liquid running down his parched throat, finishing the whole glass in a few swallows. 

Smith swapped Ross’ empty glass for a steaming mug. “Tea always helps, right?” He asked with a lopsided grin that Ross couldn’t help but mirror. 

The mood shifted back to something more sombre as Ross cradled the warm mug in both hands. “I don’t even know if telling you everything is going to help.” He admitted, just letting his thoughts spill out without any real context. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Smith replied, his voice soft and without a trace of hurt. “I would like to know, but not if you aren’t sure. I can wait.” 

Ross shook his head. “It might help.” He reasoned. “So you can understand why I am like I am.” 

Smith nodded and pushed his hair back from his forehead with his free hand. 

“I don’t know where to start.” Ross muttered before taking a sip of his tea. 

Smith shrugged, not able to give Ross an answer to that and they fell into silence for a few seconds before Smith decided that one of them needed to keep talking otherwise they would end up right where they started. “Do you want me to go first?” He offered, realising just how much they had both avoided talking about their past. He took a deep breath at Ross’ nod and started talking. 

**********

As far as Smith was concerned, his story wasn’t much different from any number of others. His father had left him and his mother up shit creek without a paddle and his mother had struggled to support both of them. 

Smith had spent years watching his mom skip meals and go without luxuries so that he could have the things he needed. 

He told Ross of the run up to Christmas’ where he would be looked after by any number of his moms friends so that she could take night shifts as well as her day job to be able to buy him the latest toy or branded clothes and trainers that all the other kids had. 

Ross’ opinion of Smith’s mom soared as Smith relayed their free day trips to museums or parks and how she would save up all her two pence pieces throughout the year in a big jar so that in the summer they could drive down to the coast for the day and play on the arcade for hours and hours, pumping the copper coins into the machines and coming away with cheap bits of tat that he treasured and would display on the crooked shelves in his room with pride. 

Ross couldn’t find it in himself to feel jealous of Smith’s happier childhood, the taller man’s eyes had glazed over and a perpetual smile graced his features as he spoke, the obvious love he felt for the woman who was his world in his younger years shining through. 

“Then when I went up to high school, I met Trott.” Smith said, focusing his eyes back onto Ross by his side. “We hit it off right away and I haven’t really looked back since.” 

Ross wet his lips. “It just seems strange to me, that you have known each other for so long.” 

Smith downed the rest of his tea and placed the empty mug on the table. “Trott is practically the only reason I’m not in some government facility being experimented on. If it wasn’t for him I don’t know what the fuck I would have done about my powers.” 

Ross kept quiet, finishing his tea. 

“I had a bit of a temper as a teenager.” Smith admitted. 

Ross grinned. “Had?” 

Smith rolled his eyes with a smirk. “Okay. I have a bit of a temper.” He admitted. “But it was much worse back then and my powers were going mental whenever I lost it.” He explained. “The amount of shit I broke-“ He sighed. “It was Trott and his family that helped me, Steve spent hours teaching me to control it and reassuring me that when I messed up that it was okay as long as I learned from it and stuff like that.” 

“He sounds like he was pretty cool.” 

Smith nodded, a faraway look crossing his face again. “He was.” 

**********

Ross cleared his throat once Smith had stopped talking, trying to psych himself up to tell his own story. 

Once he started, it flowed out of him in a stream of words that he didn’t put much thought into before they came tumbling out of his mouth, giving into the need to share his feelings with the man next to him without overthinking every single word. 

Ross laid his life bare, from fond memories that made him smile in nostalgic warmth for a woman who was everything in his life until he turned eleven to the horror that had been his life thereafter. 

Smith laughed along, smiling as Ross recounted the happy times that didn’t seem a million miles from Smith’s own experiences living just above the poverty line. 

“I can’t really remember when stuff changed.” Ross said. “It was gradual. She would seem confused and snap at me if I made a mess or a loud noise.” He explained. “The unpredictability was the worst part. She could go days and be fine and I would wonder if I had imagined it or was making too big a deal about stuff but then she would do something more and I was so scared of her.” 

Smith tangled their fingers together to try and lend Ross the courage to continue. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” 

Ross offered him a watery smile and ignored the voice in the back of his head berating him for crying so much in such a short time. “If it had just been physical stuff then I think I could have dealt with it. I’ve never been too bothered by physical pain, I got into a lot of scrapes and stuff before then.” He explained. “Climbing trees and falling off my bike because I tried to set up ramps and stuff – I kind of took pain in my stride.” 

Smith nodded for him to continue. 

“It was the words and the way she made me feel like I was such a burden. It was my fault that my mom had died and that my Nan had been put into this position to have to look after this ‘ungrateful little cretin’.” Ross spat. “It was my fault she was poor and unhappy and it would have been better if I had been the one to die and not my mom.” 

Smith stayed quiet and squeezed the other man’s fingers gently. 

Ross huffed in bitter amusement. “She would threaten to have me taken away. Told me all sorts of stories about what happens to kids in care and made her treatment of me seem like a kindness in comparison and I believed every single word she told me.” Ross continued. “When the school started to notice something wasn’t right and they got social services involved I tried everything in my power to make sure I looked and acted happy in that house with her. I couldn’t get taken away. It wasn’t an option to me. Those people who came to the house were the enemy, they weren’t there to save me, they were there to trick me and snatch me away from the only place I had ever known with a woman who might have treated me badly but, it was the lesser of two evils. And even at the end she still had some good days, and it seemed like the amount of bad were worth the good ones where she would feed me properly and take me to the park and ruffle my hair as she walked by, even if I was constantly on edge waiting for her to snap again.” 

Smith blinked back tears at Ross’ speech and brought his hand, still entwined with Ross’ to his face to brush his lips against the dark haired man’s knuckles. 

Ross offered Smith a sad look and continued to talk, his speech halting often as he recounted scenes that had Smith’s blood boiling in rage. 

People who should have been protecting Ross his whole life had failed him. It was no wonder that Ross didn’t open up easily and that he bottled up his emotions, he wouldn’t have survived this long if he hadn’t. 

Smith’s stomach turned and he had to hold back a heave as Ross detailed one of the foster homes he was placed in at age thirteen. Somehow it was Ross that was holding the other man in his arms as he cried for a younger version of the man he loved and the atrocities that had been committed against him. 

“That was a long time ago, Alex.” He tried to reassure. “I’ve dealt with that and moved on now.” 

How could one person handle all of that? Smith couldn’t comprehend, he was certain had their lives been switched that there would be no Alex Smith to recount these horrors. 

Smith buried his face into the junction between Ross’ shoulder and neck, mumbling incomprehensibly against the other man’s skin. 

Ross pulled his head back to look down at Smith in question. 

“M’tired.” He repeated. 

Ross smiled at him and pressed their lips together briefly. “Let’s sleep.” He agreed, climbing off the bed to pull the quilt out from under a tired Smith. The taller man did nothing but roll to the side and place his head on the pillow as Ross lay the quilt over Smith and climbed in next to him.


	14. Aurora Borealis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark meets Ross, Trott and Smith's mom.

Ross rolled to the side, his nose almost touching his boyfriend’s shoulder blades. Shifting himself higher up the bed he slid his right arm up and under Smith’s neck, his left arm trailing over the other man’s side and around to his stomach where he pulled the man back against him as he shuffled forward against the warmth of Smith’s skin. 

Smith let out a contented hum, pressing his back more firmly into the other man’s chest, his legs curling upwards to fit against Ross behind him. 

Ross leant his forehead against Smith’s shoulder and breathed in the scent of the other man’s skin. Smith’s breathing was even and peaceful indicating to Ross that he was still sleeping – something that Smith had been managing much better recently. 

The first night they had talked through everything Smith had no problem falling asleep. He had attributed it to the sheer exhaustion he had felt, his emotions raw and exposed to Ross but the next night it was the same. And the next. 

Ross couldn’t have been more relieved. The bags under Smith’s eyes had slowly disappeared, he stopped relying on caffeine to get through the day and he didn’t resist going to bed when he was tired like he had been before Ross had gone away with Kim. 

Ross slowly let his eyes flutter open, squinting in the half darkness of a sunny day trying to break through the heavy curtains. 

The dark haired man let his lips linger on the space between Smith’s shoulder blades for a moment as he stretched his legs out and gently pulled his arm out from under the other man, trying not to wake him. 

Smith groaned, a grumbling sound that Ross was sure would have been accompanied by a scrunched up face and half pout if he could see the other man’s face. 

Ross smiled at his boyfriends sleep encompassed protest and stroked a hand down Smith’s spine as he sat up to climb out of the bed. 

*********

Smith woke with a feeling of loss, an empty space behind him that he was sure wasn’t right. As consciousness slowly crept across his mind he rolled to his back and rubbed a hand over his face, the sound of the bedroom door opening and Ross entering the room bringing him more fully awake. 

“It’s cold in here without you.” Smith complained as Ross peeled back the corner of the duvet and slid back into the bed beside him. 

Ross snorted a laugh. “I needed to piss.” 

Smith narrowed his eyes at him and raised an arm in invitation. “Is my mom still here? What time is it?” 

Ross shuffled closer, resting the side of his face against Smith’s chest as Smith’s arm came down to rest around Ross’ shoulders. “She left already, it’s just after ten.” 

Smith hummed in pleasure as Ross brought the arm he wasn’t lying on up to rest against Smith’s chest. “Mark is going to be at the train station at midday.” 

Ross nodded against Smith’s shoulder. “You still want me to pick him up with you?” 

Smith nodded his head before pressing a kiss to the crown of the other man’s head. “Please.” 

Ross smiled, at Smith's gesture and tightened his hold around the other man, not intending to move any time soon. 

**********

It was nearing eleven thirty by the time Smith reluctantly stopped dozing with Ross pressed to his side and got out of bed to get ready. 

Ross was a little nervous, he had spoken to Mark over skype during online games but that was always with Smith who would initiate interactions and it was all so casual and safe behind a screen with miles and miles between them. Ross wanted Mark to like him. Needed him to really. 

Smith’s relationship with his brother was close, they talked about everything – not having grown up together making it feel more like they were best friends than related and all the advantages that brought. 

They may not have been able to reminisce about a shared childhood but they talked about it, talked about even the most painful parts. Smith let the floodgates open, testing Mark’s boundaries and surprised when nothing scared the other man away. Although he did remind himself often that he couldn’t tell Mark everything, any part of his life entangled with the magic was not something he could or would tell him. 

He had considered just telling him of course, he was pretty sure that Mark wouldn’t judge or expose him but it wasn’t just his life that could be put in jeopardy should the wrong person find out about it. 

 

Smith and Ross walked to the train station in silence, Ross’ nerves kept at bay by Smith’s warm hand in his own. 

“What platform did he say?” Ross asked as they entered the small reception area of the train station. 

Smith shrugged. “I said we would meet him by the front doors.” 

Ross nodded and glanced down at his watch to check the time, the train should be arriving any second. 

Smith and Ross backed away from the doors and stood against a wall as a flood of people started to stream through the doors to the platform, obviously having got off a train. Smith’s eyes darted over the strangers faces, looking for Mark amongst the crowd and holding a hand up in greeting when he saw him walking towards them with a large backpack on his shoulders. 

Smith stepped forward as Mark approached and opened his arms wide for the smaller man to step into, slapping Mark on the back in a quick hug before pulling back and letting one arm stay on Mark’s shoulder to steer him towards Ross. “Good journey?” 

Mark nodded. “Yeah, was pretty uneventful.” 

Smith used the arm not draped around Mark to gesture to Ross. “Mark, this is Ross. Ross, Mark.” He introduced as Ross offered the smaller man a hand to shake. 

Mark shook his hand with a stronger grip than Ross had anticipated from the younger man and offered him a grin. “Nice to finally meet you.” Ross said as their hands dropped back to their sides. 

“You too.” Mark replied, pushing his glasses further up his nose and nodding. 

*********

The day passed quickly to evening, the easy banter and playful rivalry that permeated their online relationship translating without issue in person that had all of them breathing a private sigh of relief as they joked and laughed their way through the afternoon. 

As the light faded through the windows and the day turned to twilight Smith’s mother returned from work, bustling into the house and shouting an ‘Evening boys!’ up the stairs to the three as she shrugged off her coat and hung it by the front door. 

 

Ross laughed at the look on Mark’s face as the younger man watched Smith interact with his mother, nudging Mark in the ribs and explaining in a quiet voice that ‘yes, they are always like this’ as Julie tried everything in her power to embarrass her son in front of his boyfriend and brother. 

“You forget I’m your son, mother.” Smith said, his voice full of mirth. “I have no shame.” 

Julie’s jaw dropped in mock shock. “What is that supposed to mean?” She asked, her voice laced with fake outrage. 

Ross snorted a laugh at their antics. “Sounds like he is calling you a slag or something Jules.” Ross said, wiggling his eyebrows at the woman. 

Julie narrowed her eyes in a look that only reminded Ross of her son. “I can always revoke your invitation to stay in my house Mr Hornby.” She threatened. 

“He’s not a fucking vampire, Mom!” Smith laughed. 

“He’s pale enough.” Julie muttered. 

Ross laughed. “Like you can talk, at least I’m not ginger. I actually have a soul.” 

Mark watched this exchange with a look of wonder, so used to the formal nature of his own family and not the teasing going on in front of him. 

Julie placed her hands on her hips and gave Ross what Smith had dubbed her ‘Mother’ look. “That’s it!” She said, voice dark. “Living room.” She barked. “Loser cooks dinner.” 

Ross snorted at her and rolled his eyes. “Smith.” He said, widening his stance and staring the woman down as his boyfriend sighed dramatically and reached into his pocket. 

Mark wasn’t sure what exactly he was witnessing between the people in front of him as Smith dug around in his pocket for a moment. “Mark, do you have a coin?” 

The younger man nodded and pulled out his wallet, handing his brother a two pence piece but not taking his eyes off the other two who seemed to be having a staring competition. 

“Ross, call it.” Smith said flipping the coin into the air and catching it, waiting for Ross to reply with his hand slapped over the coin resting on his hand. 

“Tails never fails.” Ross said with a smirk at the woman opposite him. 

Smith lifted his hand and glanced at the coin. “Tails it is. Arena and terms?” He asked. 

Ross wet his lips and grinned. “GTA. Wall ride. Weapons enabled.” He replied, raising an eyebrow at Julie who balked a little. 

“Let’s do this.” Julie replied, breaking eye contact with Ross and pushing past him dramatically and striding into the living room to start up the PlayStation.

*********  
The two were in the middle of their race when a knock sounded at the front door, immediately followed by a chorus of ‘it’s open’ from Julie, Ross and Smith. 

Mark was the only one who took his eyes off the TV as a man about his height with a sweeping mop of brown hair entered the house and made his way into the living room. 

Trott let out a hiss through his teeth as he saw the game on screen. “Terms?” He asked, coming to stand between Smith and Mark behind the sofa. 

Smith didn’t take his eyes off the screen as he answered. “Wall ride, weapons allowed.” 

“Prize?” 

“Loser cooks.” 

Trott nodded his head nonchalantly before turning to Mark. “Mark right?” He said holding his hand out for the younger man to shake. 

Mark nodded. “Yeah, hey man.” 

“I’m Trott.” 

Mark smiled at him before looking back to the screen as Ross let out a scream of outrage. 

“Ahhh! Got you!” Julie exclaimed, nudging Ross with her elbow. “What we having for dinner, Ross?” 

Ross growled in the back of his throat. “I don’t know, Jules.” He ground out through his gritted teeth before letting off a rocket in the game and exploding Julie’s car. “What are we having for dinner, since you are the one that is going to have to cook it?!” 

**********

Julie spent the half an hour of Ross making their dinner with a triumphant grin plastered across her face whilst the men chatted amongst themselves, jokes and friendly insults flying around the room and pulling Mark into a feeling of inclusion and acceptance into their unconventional family that seemed to him to include both Ross and Trott. 

Mark had never experienced anything like it. Confused but relieved that his brother had people like that in his life. He hadn’t ever seen his brother this happy and it brought an easy smile to his face throughout the night. 

Trott left with Ross just as Julie excused herself to go to bed at eleven, complaining about her early start for work the next morning. She made the rounds of the room before leaving, placing a quick kiss to each man’s forehead and ruffling their hair before leaving the room – saving Mark for last and questioning him with her eyes before approaching and repeating the process to him. “Be good, I’ll be back at around four tomorrow.” She directed at Smith as she left the room. 

“Never!” Smith answered. “Night mom.” He finished as the others echoed his goodnight. 

Once Ross and Trott had shown themselves out, Smith locked the front door behind them and the two settled down to flick through the TV and try to find something to watch for the hour or so before heading up to bed. 

**********

Mark crawled into the bed that Smith made up for him on his floor, pulled the covers up to his chest and stared up at the dark ceiling. 

“Your mom is amazing.” Mark said thinking back to her antics earlier in the day with a smile. 

Smith hummed a positive sound. “Yeah, she is pretty cool. For a mom anyway.” He conceded. “What’s your mom like? You don’t speak about her or-“ He paused a second. “-or dad much.” 

Bringing a hand up, Mark removed his glasses and folded them, placing them on top of his bag a foot or so to his left as he thought about this. “I guess they’re okay.” He answered, not sounding convinced by his own answer. “It was better when I was younger I guess, we would go on trips with my dad and stuff.” 

The bed creaked as Smith turned to face the direction Mark was in. “Where did you go?” 

Mark closed his eyes and smiled, letting his mind drift a little to happier times. “We would travel around to see his business associates around the world.” He answered. “Russia and Scandinavia, Ireland and Italy.” He listed with fondness. “America and Canada. We even spent a few weeks in Australia when I was ten.” 

Smith smiled in the darkness. “That sounds pretty cool, I want to go to Canada. Ross has some friends over there and we might go visit them soon.” He supplied. “The pictures that Ross has shown me from over there look amazing, snowy mountains and lakes that reflect the sky like a mirror.” 

Mark nods sleepily, not really registering that Smith wouldn’t be able to see it in the darkness of the room. “It is amazing.” He agreed, picturing the view from his father’s friend’s balcony in his mind and taking a deep breath. 

Smith hums at him. “Describe it to me, where you were.” 

Mark lets out a long breath through his nose and begins to talk. “Jonas’ house was huge, this big log cabin on a lake and it was like looking at a photo shopped picture even when you saw it with your own eyes.” Mark started. “He had this porch out front where I would sit in this big bench swing in front of this fire pit that always seemed to be lit. It was cold up there by the lake but the fire took the chill off and it was just this smooth glassy water with a small island with a few spruce trees on it in the middle of it, mountains rising either side that seemed to go on forever and ever.” 

Smith could almost see the scene in front of him, snow-capped mountains and the silence of being out almost in the middle of nowhere. Goosebumps rose on Smith’s arms at the thought of the cold wind blowing over the calm waters. 

“The nights were the best, we would sit outside with hot chocolate and watch greens and yellows and purples swirling through the sky like the gods were painting across the sky just for us.” Mark said, his voice soft. 

Smith shivered, a cold burst of air blowing down his neck and along his spine, taking a breath through his nose he felt the cold settle in his lungs, fresh and crisp and refreshing. Opening his eyes he was met not with the dark ceiling of his childhood bedroom but a sky swirling with colours and the feeling of himself being swayed back and forth. His hands reached down in confusion to feel the rough wood of the bench beneath him as he furrowed his brows and turned to the man sitting next to him on the bench. 

Smith’s brain took a moment to realise in his sleepy state that the steady hum that he associated with magic against his skin wasn’t imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! 
> 
> Sorry for the break between the chapters, i have been having a bit of a time irl with the wedding approaching and work and stuff. 
> 
> I hope this is worth the wait - let me know what you think?


	15. Revelations

Smith jumped from the bench, the illusion immediately breaking, to find himself standing next to his bed back in his room, his heart racing from the knowledge that he didn’t need to keep his life from Mark anymore. 

Mark sat up at the sudden movement of the other man. “What’s the matter?” He asked, voice sounding a little forced with calm. 

“You have magic.” Was the simple reply from the man standing in the middle of the room, with a grin on his face. 

“I don't know what you’re talking about.” Mark replied, a little too quickly. 

Smith waved a hand, the lights springing to life and illuminating the room so he could see Mark more clearly. 

The younger man was sitting on the camping bed near the wall, his hands clasped together and worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. 

Mark’s eyes widened as his glasses lifted from their position on top of his bag, the arms unfolding slowly as they moved towards his face. 

Mark snatched them out of the air and slammed them onto his face. “How did you do that?” He asked. 

Smith rolled his eyes. “You know how.” He answered. “Runs in families, doesn't it?” 

Mark nodded. “Yeah. But dad said-” 

“He knows?” Smith interrupted before Mark could finish his sentence. 

The younger man nodded again. “Of course he does, he and mom are both-” 

Smith sank back down onto the bed. “Dad-” Of course his dad had powers, it made sense. How many conversations had he had with Trott or Kim or Hannah or any number of other people in the office who had so many people in their lives that they shared blood with having magic? 

It was naive and stupid of him to think that he was some weird anomaly. That his powers had sprouted from nowhere after growing up around Trott and his family and being told the histories, especially with what had happened recently and how everyone seemed to be connected in one way or another. 

Mark cleared his throat and pushed the covers off himself, scrambling to go and sit on the opposite edge of Smith’s bed. “He said you didn’t have powers.”

“And how exactly would he fucking know?” Smith spat back. 

Mark flinched at the tone in his brother's voice. “I don't know.” He admitted quietly. 

Smith pinched at the bridge of his nose before running a hand through his hair. “Mark, I’m sorry, I know it isn't your fault.” 

Mark shrugged at him. “You should be angry at him, I assumed that he had actually checked somehow.” 

“No. Not that I know of anyway.” Smith answered quietly. 

Mark shifted in his seat, sliding up the bed so he could prop himself up against the headboard. “Is your mom-?” 

Smith shook his head and moved to sit next to the other man. “No.” He answered. “I didn't know anything about magic until I was a teenager and shit started moving when I got pissed off.”

Mark’s eyebrows shot up. “How did you deal with that alone?” 

Smith smiled. “I didn’t.” He said. “Once I figured out stuff was weird I freaked out and I went to Trott. I didn’t want to tell my mom, she had enough to deal with.” He explained.

Mark grinned. “That cool, that you could trust him.” Smith nodded. “I’m guessing he never told anyone since you’re still here.” 

Smith narrowed his brows at Marks last sentence but ignored it and instead said. “Trott’s family is like us too. I didn't know until after I told him. They’ve been kind of like my ‘magical family’ since, teaching me stuff.” He paused a second. “So, what exactly is your power? Some teleporting thing?” 

“Sensory manipulation.” Mark rattled off. “I can mess with the sensory centres of the brain to make people think they are somewhere else, or cut off their senses or whatever.” He continued, sounding a little nonchalant about the whole thing. 

“So the place in Canada that I saw, I wasn’t actually there?” Smith asked. 

“No.” Mark answered. “I just made you think you were.” He said. “Like this-” 

Suddenly to Smith they were in a small clearing surrounded by trees. The whole thing was so real to Smith, he could feel a faint breeze running over his bare arms, could smell the musky scent of the leaves. He could hear the babbling of a stream in the distance and feel the soft grass beneath him. “This is fucking incredible.” 

Mark laughed and pulled the illusion back. “What can you do?” 

Smith leant towards his bedside table and snatched up a half full glass of water. “You’ve already seen me move stuff.” He said, handing the glass to Mark. “And this isn’t really any different.” He said pointing to the glass so Mark would shift his attention to it and smirking to himself at the chance to show someone new what he could do. 

“I don't-” Mark stopped talking as he felt the glass grow colder in his hand. The water expanding rapidly as it froze. “How the fuck are you doing that?” Mark asked, not taking his eyes off the glass as it warmed up again, the water melting and continuing to heat up until it bubbled gently. 

Smith took the glass from Mark as the water returned to room temperature and deposited it back on the table at the side of the bed. “Speed up or slow down the molecules in the water.” 

“That’s really clever.” Mark praised. 

Smith smiled at him. “That was Steve, not me.” He said, continuing when Mark looked confused. “Trott’s older brother, he came up with it when he was doing physics at school and we spent the summer perfecting it.” 

“Does anyone else know?” Mark asked. 

“Yeah.” Smith answered. “All my friends.” 

Mark’s eyebrows shot up. “Alex, that is not safe. At all.” He scolded. “If any of them were to tell someone then you could be taken away or even if another magic user found out they might just take you out to save on exposure. The last thing we need is another witch hunt.” Mark continued, sounding panicked. “You should never tell anyone about your powers unless you are one hundred percent sure they have them too, the wrong person hearing could have all kinds of terrible implications, not just for you but them and anyone else with powers in the world. I can’t believe that Trott’s family wouldn’t tell you that.” 

Smith raised his hands to stop the other man. “They’re all magic too, the people who know.” 

Mark’s jaw practically dropped to his knees. “All of them?” 

Smith nodded quickly. “Trott, Kim and Hannah have known each other forever and they found some other people our age who were all like us and they got together and set up a place for us all to hang out.” He explained. “We mostly play games and just chill rather than doing anything magic but we do some research sometimes and have access to a load of books and scrolls to learn. Some of the more advanced guys teach the rest of us and we are talking about bringing younger siblings into it at some point so that they have somewhere to meet new friends their age as they learn to deal with magic.” 

Mark looked taken aback by Smith’s response. The taller man stood and started to root through his drawers when Mark didn’t say anything. 

“Get dressed.” Smith instructed, pulling out jeans before switching his shirt for a fresh one. 

Mark did as he was told, movements unsure and slow compared to Smith’s. 

“You don't need shoes.” Smith said as Mark bent down to grab his trainers. “Come on.” He said beckoning him over. 

The smaller man approached where his brother stood with his hand resting on the handle to the wardrobe. Smith pulled the door open and whispered something that Mark couldn't decipher, a faint light springing to life inside of the door. 

“You used portals before?” Smith asked. 

Mark nodded, staring at the rippling of the portal. “Nothing that looked like this though.” 

Smith grinned. “Lewis’ speciality.” He supplied before walking through, assuming the other man would follow. 

**********

Smith’s office was its usual sambals, potions ingredients strewn across the desk and numerous hoodies flung over the back of his chair in front of the computer. Open books littered the desk alongside notebooks with Smith’s scrawling handwriting on their pages. 

“Where are we?” Mark asked as he emerged from the portal, showing no signs of discomfort from the journey and looking around the room in interest. 

“Bristol.” Smith answered. “It’s an office building that we rent. We all have offices and then there's some common areas and labs and a library and stuff.” Smith continued, pulling a bunch of keys out of his pocket to unlock the door. “There probably won’t be many people around.” He said as he opened the door. “Most of us are from Europe, but Bebop and Will might be around and Ross lives here so it depends if he is still awake.” 

“Lives here?” Mark questioned, following his brother down a quiet corridor lined with doors.

Smith stopped walking and turned to Mark. “He didn’t have anywhere else to go.” Was the simple reply. “Katie found him, out and alone not knowing anything about magic and pretty much saved him from a horrible and isolated life.” 

Mark smiled. “Katie sounds nice.” 

Smith nodded. “Once you get over the fact that letting her touch anything you own could result in her literally reliving your whole life.” Smith answered as he continued striding down the corridor until they came to a lit doorway. Smith entered the room with Mark behind him. “Alright guys?” He greeted Will and Bebop who were sitting opposite each other, a card game spread out on the table in front of them. 

“Smithy!” Will greeted. “Want to come see how much I am kicking Bebop’s ass? He is down to three hit points but still thinks he can beat me.” 

Smith raised his eyebrow and came to stand behind Bebop, glancing over his cards and making a pained face at Will. 

“No.” Will protested. “There is no way he can have the mana to-“ 

“Who’s your friend?” Bebop asked, interrupting Will. 

Smith slung an arm over Mark’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “This is my little brother, Mark.” He said. “This is Will and Bebop.” He continued, directing it at Mark who lifted a hand in greeting and let out a small ‘hi’. 

Bebop screwed his face up in confusion. “Is he supposed to be here?” He asked gently. 

Smith just grinned. “He has magic, go on Mark. Show them.” 

Mark looked between the men in the room, Bebop nodded and Will shrugged at him. 

Looking around the room for inspiration, Mark’s eyes fell on a Minecraft poster. After a beat they were appeared to have been transported into a version of the game. Will and Bebop sitting on two wooden chairs in the middle of field, a pixelated mountain to their right. A square pig shuffled along a few feet away, in the distance the men could see a village bustling with people. 

Bebop stood from his seat, whipping his head around to take it all in. “What the fuck-?” 

“It’s fucking cool isn’t it?” Smith answered, bouncing on his toes in excitement. 

Will’s eyes were wide as he looked at Mark. “Do you realise how fucking amazing this would be for D&D.” 

“You guys play?” Mark asked, letting the magic slip away. 

Will nodded. “Yeah, Trott DM’s at the minute but he has been whining about wanting to be a player recently.” 

“I’ve never played.” Mark said gently. “I never had enough friends who wanted to play.” 

“Well,” Bebop said. “This place is full of nerds, you’ll find loads of people who will want to play here.” 

Mark grinned and pushed his glassed further up his nose. “This is going to be so cool.”


	16. Nerves and Schemes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time marches on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Sorry the update has been so long coming and isn't as long as usual - real life has been pretty eventful lately. (in a good way :))
> 
> I hope to get another chapter out this week as it is already over half written :D

Mark had fantasised for years about what it would be like to have real friends. Friends who accepted him for who he was and who he wouldn’t have to keep secrets from. Friends who understood how weird it was to watch superhero movies when you had your own powers. People who knew how strange it was whenever magic was mentioned in conversation and all that people meant were tacky sleight of hand tricks or psychological misdirection and how that isolated you from the rest of the world.

He had wanted people to understand him his whole life. Wanted to be around people his own age who he could talk to about these things, people who were as obsessed as he was with fiction and being creative without being looked at like he was some kind of immature child beneath their notice. 

Mark couldn’t really say that his parents had tried their best, but they could have done a lot worse he supposed. He had told his brother of the travels he had gone on with his parents but he hadn’t told Smith the other side of that. The side that meant he didn’t go to school with other children on a regular basis or that these spectacular places he had been were just plain boring when you were left alone in huge mansions with no company for days on end. 

It was no wonder he had problems in social situations and found things much easier with a computer between himself and any companions – the internet was Mark’s safe haven. It didn’t matter if he was in England, Canada, Australia or any number of other countries that he had been dragged to by his father, the internet was global and distance didn’t matter. 

In short, Mark had been lonely his entire life and now there was hope that it wouldn’t always be that way. 

He was nervous – incredibly so – as he waited for his brother to return from telling the rest of the office about his powers. Smith had been insistent that everyone would be happy to have him and had even volunteered to share his office with Mark since he was rarely in it himself, but Mark was unfortunately a creature of habit and that habit was that when something amazing happened in his life he waited for the other shoe to drop and ruin everything. 

**********

“Mark? You ready?” Smith asked, watching as his brother paced in front of his bed, systematically wringing his hands and pushing his glasses further up his nose as they slid down his nose from his bowed head. 

Mark looked up at Smith and pushed his glasses up again, nodding a little frantically before spewing forth a litany of questions. “Are they okay with me coming? Who did you see? Who is going to be in the office? Will I meet them all at once or one at a time? Are you sure it’s okay to share your office? I don’t need one really – just need access to a portal. Where should I hide the portal? Do you think my parents will notice that I’m not in the house much? Do I look okay? Should I change?” 

Smith’s eyes widened slightly at the panic radiating from his brother. 

Smith had seen him nervous before, the first time they met being the worse but this time is was so much more pronounce, whether that was because Smith now knew him better and Mark was letting him see or because Mark really was much more nervous this time he didn’t know. With only a seconds hesitation he strode over to Mark and placed a hand on each of his shoulders to stop him pacing. 

Mark’s eyes misted as he looked up at Smith and he took a few deep breaths to try and control the shaking of his limbs. He wouldn’t meet Smith’s eye, looking distinctly over Smith’s right shoulder and fixing his gaze on something behind Smith. 

“Mate?” Smith said, making it sound like a question.

Mark took a sharp intake of breath through his nose before letting out a slow stream between his slightly parted lips. “Sorry.” He replied, snapping his eyes to meet Smith’s. 

Smith shook his head. “I know it’s scary, but the people through that portal-“ He said, letting one arm move from Mark’s shoulder to point at the place he had entered the room. “-are the best people I have ever met, you don’t have anything to be afraid of from them. I promise.” 

Mark managed a small smile and curt nod. “Okay.” 

It seemed like an automatic response rather than an actual positive answer so Smith offered him one of his crooked smiles in reassurance. “You’re my little brother, man.” He said pulling at Marks shoulder, causing the smaller man to stumble forward into Smith’s chest. “I love you, Bro and if anyone gives you any shit then I’ll set their pubes on fire.” Smith finished the hug with a gentle squeeze and a slap between Marks shoulder blades before releasing him. 

Mark laughed at Smith’s threat. “I love you too, arsehole.” The smaller man mumbled, punching Smith’s arm lightly. “Thank you.” 

**********

The first week was a blur of names and faces that Mark just couldn’t get right in his head. There were so many people coming and going all the time and they all knew his name and who he was. It threw him off kilter a little but he had Smith to help him with names and faces whenever he blanked. It was a week of sticking to his brother’s side most of the time. 

Mark was incredibly grateful to his brother, Smith seemed to know when he needed prodding to be more open, a lifetime of hiding his nerdy side was hard to unlearn but with repetition he had started to realise that these people wouldn’t judge him or laugh at him like the kids in school had tended to for years. These people were much more like his internet friends, people who shared his interests and wanted to talk to him about them. 

The change in him hadn’t gone unnoticed either. Smith beamed at him the first time he walked into the common room to find Mark already in there and not waiting for Smith to text him to ask if he was coming into the office. College seemed easier, he wasn’t trying so hard to make friends and impress his peers and it was having the opposite effect that he thought – people were talking to him in college and he even got invited to lunch with a group from his acting class now that he was able to relax and be himself a little more. 

“Hey, Mark!” Kim greeted as she popped her head around the door to his and Smith’s shared office where he was busy scribbling scenario ideas for an upcoming D&D campaign in a notebook. “A bunch of us are heading to the Island for the day, were going to have a barbeque and bonfire there tonight too if you fancy it?” 

“Yeah, that sounds great. What time?” 

Kim shrugged. “Smith and Sips already went ahead to build the fire, I’m waiting on Ross and Hannah before I head out but Katie, Fiona and Zoey are about to go if you want to head through with them.”

Mark closed his note book with a snap and grinned at Kim. “I’ll go get my shorts.” 

**********

The island was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. It was like a movie with its golden sand and crystal clear ocean. The shade afforded by the trees lining the beach was cool and welcoming to the overheated man. 

Mark collapsed back against a towel on the sand and stared up at the canopy above, chinks of sunlight coming through gaps in the overlapping leaves leaving the floor beneath a mottled mosaic of greens and yellows. 

“Mind if I sit?” 

Mark smiled up at Zoey and gestured to the sand next to him. “I feel like you’re stalking me today.” 

Zoey laughed. It was true, she hadn’t been far from Mark the whole time he had been on the island – like a shadow, she followed wherever he went and he was curious about the reasoning behind it. 

Zoey sighed gently before speaking. “Sorry.” She muttered quietly. “It’s just that you’re so happy and it’s been a while since I’ve felt such a pure form of it.” She admitted. 

Mark quirked an eyebrow and sat up, leaning back against an outstretched arm. “Everyone seems pretty happy to me.” He said feigning ignorance. 

Zoey smiled at him for a moment before turning her attention to where Turps and Fiona stood near the pile of wood for the fire. Turps’ arm around Fiona’s shoulder as she leant into his embrace both with blank yet somehow sad expressions on their faces. “Appearances can be deceptive.” 

Mark wet his lips, and followed Zoey’s eye line with his gaze. “Not as deceptive as you think.” 

Zoey turned her head back to Mark. “None of us are as good as we think we are at hiding it, I don’t think.” 

Mark nodded gently. “Alex said something happened with you all a while ago but he didn’t say anything else and I didn’t want to push-“ Mark started, pausing the find the right words. 

“But what happened?” Zoey asked, no trace of hurt on her face. 

“It’s none of my business, I know- But I just-“ Mark ran his hand over the cool sand, trying to order his thoughts. “-I don’t want to say something and make it worse but I don’t want to push anyone to talk about it either, if they don’t want to.” 

“It’s not about not wanting to.” Zoey explained gently. “It’s more that none of them want to talk about it in front of each other.”

Mark furrowed his brows in confusion. “I don’t get it.” 

Zoey snorted in amusement. “I don’t think they do either.” She mumbled. “They should talk about it, it’s the only way they’re going to finally let it all go.” 

“And what about you?” 

Zoey’s lip quirked further, a smirk appearing. “That’s the thing isn’t it? Can’t take my own advice. But I’m not worried about me, I worked through a lot of what I needed to.” 

Mark met Zoey’s eye. “And you think I can do something to help with the others?” He guessed. 

Zoey smiled back. “You’re definitely not slow on the uptake are you?” 

“Any pointers?” 

“Start with Trott.” Zoey answered. “But not today.” She added, looking towards the surf where Trott, Smith, Katie, Ross, Kim, Hannah and Duncan were having some kind of water fight, their screams of joy carrying across the island to where Zoey and Mark sat. “Let them have today, God knows they deserve it.”


	17. Just a prank, bro.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are going well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> I am super sorry for the long wait on this - I have been stupidly busy with my new job and getting married and my brothers wedding and my honeymoon and stuff and its just been fucking impossible to like get writing time and stuff. 
> 
> I hope there isn't a big gap like this again! 
> 
> Please forgive me! Love you all! 
> 
> AND! Huge thank you to Sam and Tam for helping me get this thing finished! I have no idea what I would have done without your help ladies!

Trott woke with a face full of red curls tickling his nose. With a groan, he flapped his uncooperative hand in front of his face to try and swipe the offending strands away but only succeeded in hitting Katie in the back of the head. 

Katie grumbled and shifted away, her heel connecting with Trott’s shin.

Trott let out a yelp of pain. “Fuck! Katie that really fucking-” 

The redhead turned onto her side to face her boyfriend with a yawn. “You hit me first.” 

“I didn’t mean to.” Trott whined rubbing at his shin. 

Katie raised her face and met Trott’s dark eyes. “Lies.” She said matter of fact-ly before pecking a kiss to his nose. “Love you.” 

Trott huffed. “I’m not getting up to make you tea.” 

The redhead smiled sweetly. “Don't you love me?” 

“Not enough to get me out of this bed, no.” 

“Do I need to kick you again?” She asked with a smirk. 

“I’ll rock, paper, scissors you for it.” 

The girl nodded, shifting in the bed until she was sitting with her back against the headboard. Trott followed her lead and sat up, meeting her eye he slammed his fist onto his open palm, counting out three hits before they revealed their choices. 

“Two sugars, Sunshine.” Trott grinned, flopping back down onto the bed. 

Katie pivoted, her legs falling to the floor. “How do you always win?” She asked. “You have to be cheating.” 

Trott reached out and took her hand in his. “Don't hate the player.” He said, bringing her small hand to his face and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. 

“You did not just say that.” 

Trott shrugged, stretching an arm out and swiping a water bottle from the bedside table. “Come on, woman!” He said, motioning to the door. “I am parched, having to resort to drinking water whilst I wait for this elusive hot drink.” 

Katie huffed in amusement. “Arsenic is pretty much undetectable in tea, right?” She asked as she pulled on a cardigan and opened the bedroom door. “Just asking for a friend.” 

Trott shot her a one fingered salute before unscrewing his water bottle and taking a long pull. 

Katie lingered for a second as he swallowed, their eyes meeting and the girl grinning. 

“What-?” 

In the space where Trott had been on the bed just a second before was now occupied, not by the brunette but by a very cute, and very pissed off squirrel.

**********

No one was really sure what brought on the first wave of pranks. Both sides denying responsibility venomously and insisting some slight from the other side, some as minor as having the last can of coke in the fridge and others as big as Sips waking up one morning looking like Chewbacca with dense fur covering his whole body. 

It had been going on for almost a week. Everyone being careful of what they touched or ingested. Nothing was safe. Somehow Fiona had got at Zylus with a water bottle that she had managed to get potion inside of without breaking the seal on the lid and the mage had spent a full day blowing bubbles whenever he opened his mouth. 

Rythian had tried to get back at Turps’ prank that made anything that Rythian touched turn pink by slipping him some concoction that had the telepath speaking nothing but Latin for twelve hours - unfortunately for Rythian he was one of the only people who could fluently speak Latin which meant Turps basically followed him around the whole time shouting some rather colourful phrases at him in the dead language. 

It was a welcome break to the feelings that had been running rampant through the group for months, it was like they had all turned a corner and it was in no small thanks to the addition of Mark in the office, and his alliance with Zoey. 

Lewis’ pranks were all too simple but effective and seemed to have some of the biggest reactions from the others. His portals leading around in circles, making people emerge into cupboards or hallways. It was like a maze, almost - everything being redirected and turned around on itself so often that by the second day most people stopped using the portals already set up and made their own if they needed to get around.

 

“Smiffy! Stop fucking giggling, you’re going to give us away!” Sips scolded in a whisper, throwing a look over his shoulder to make sure Mark was still watching the door. 

Alex tried to stifle his laughter by pressing the back of his hand to his mouth but it did little to quiet the snorting escaping his nose. 

“Fuck.” Mark exclaimed turning quickly to the others in the room. “Nilesy incoming!” 

Sips and Alex shared a look of panic for a moment as the Scot approached the room, holding their breath and hoping he would just keep on walking - no such luck. 

“Well, well, well. What do we have here then, gentlemen?” 

“Nothing!” All three practically shouted at the same time. 

“Looks like messing with Hannah’s equipment to me.” The dark haired man said, eyebrows raised. “And we all know how dead something like this could get you if she ever found out.” 

“Is that a threat?” Smith asked, levelling the other man with a steely look. 

Nilesy shrugged. “I could perhaps be persuaded to keep quiet…” 

Sips huffed a bored breath through his nose. “What do you want?” 

“To keep this little-” He started, gesturing around the room. “-escapade to myself?” He hummed for a moment in thought. “Immunity from your pranks, and I need you to set something up for Panda - that little bastard turned Lyndon into fucking nyan cat complete with a rainbow trail.” 

“Anything in particular you have in mind?” Sips asked. 

“Something uncomfortable.” 

Smith nodded, a rueful smile pulled across his face. “Uncomfortable I can do.” 

**********

Kim stepped through the door and onto the warm sand. Wiggling her bare toes into the sand with a contented sigh. 

She stood, the breeze from the coast ruffling her hair and a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. 

Things were getting back to normal. Future plans being made showing an optimistic outlook that had been missing from the group of friends since the fight. 

After a moment’s hesitation, during which she turned her face to the sky and basked in the warmth of the sun, she started towards the water. 

Her footprints trailed behind her in an ambling line, shallow and small. 

Kim knew the moment Ross has stepped through the portal, a feeling of familiarity washing over her as he made his way over. She didn’t turn to him, instead standing still and luxuriating in the feeling of the sun on her skin. 

“What took you so long?” She asked as he stood level with her, eyes looking out over the ocean in front of them. 

“Thought you would appreciate some time alone in the sun.” 

Kim huffed an amused breath through her nose. “You know me so well.” 

“-Also, Smith was shirtless and I couldn’t just leave…” 

Kim made a gagging noise and nudged Ross in the ribs with her elbow. “You ready for this?” Kim asked, turning her head to meet Ross’ eyes for the first time since his arrival. 

He merely smirked back at her. 

**********

Running in the sunlight was something that Kim thought she would never tire of. The feeling of sand under her paws and the smell of the ocean washing over her as the sun warmed her dark coat and her tail swished behind her. 

The coolness of the water was welcome on her paws that felt almost scorched by the hot sand that they had been running over for hours. 

They had made numerous loops of the island, chasing birds or each other with gleeful yips of joy before Ross had put on a burst of speed and raced to the water, Kim following close behind. 

The others arrived not long after the pair had started splashing around in the surf. Simon shouted a greeting and made a run for the water, changing forms as he reached the wet sand, landing with a splash between the two wolves as a large Alsatian. 

Nilesy let out a ‘woop’ at Simon’s change and ran towards the group in the water, his arm outstretched, creating a large wave that crashed over their heads. 

Sips shook his head at the others antics with a fond smile. Watching as many of his other friends made their way down to the water as he gestured to the sand and made himself what could only be described as a throne out of the dampened sand. 

“Jump on, Trott!” Smith shouted, bending his knees for his friend to jump on his back. 

“What about me?” Katie called after the two men as Smith stumbled along at a run. 

With a high pitched scream Katie’s world was suddenly upside down as she was flung over Duncan’s shoulder. The blond man laughing as he jogged towards his friends at the water. 

Sips chuckled to himself, watching the others in the water but making no move to join them and instead sitting back on his makeshift throne and pulling the peak of his cap to cover his eyes. 

**********

Ross collapsed onto the soft sand next to Smith after changing back behind a tree and putting on some shorts. 

“What’re you smiling at?” Smith asked, pushing his wet hair out of his eye. 

Ross’ smile didn’t falter as he regarded the man next to him. “Am I not allowed to smile?” He asked, quirking a brow at Smith. 

Smith shook his head. “I guess it’s just been a while.” 

Ross nodded in acceptance at his statement. “You’ll get there.” 

Smith snorted in amusement at Ross’ knowledge of him. “I don’t know man, maybe.” 

The dark haired man placed his hands on the sand and pushed himself to his knees then sat back on his heels to look Smith in the eye. “It will. It has to.” 

Ross’ certainty at Smith’s future happiness was all it took to put a grin on Smith’s face. “It’s hard to think it won’t when you sound so sure.” 

Ross reached a hand out to grasp Smith’s. “Just trust me, yeah?” 

“With everything I have.” 

*********

Fiona raked her hands through her short hair, trying to get the unruly, wet strands to stop springing in front of her eyes. 

Night was falling on the island and a small bonfire had been set up. Groups of friends gathering around the flames to talk and relax.

The sound of a guitar floated over to where Rythian and Zoey sat. Fiona flicked her eyes over to where Smith sat, playing quietly. She couldn’t hear the words he sang from so far away but she could see the serene look on Ross’ face as he watched Smith play with a small smile, until Trott joined in, shouting obscenities along to the tune that had all three men laughing raucously.

Rythian and Zoey were talking excitedly on one of the large blankets littering the beach and she made her way over, sinking to the floor next to Zoey and putting an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer and place a small peck to Zoey’s temple in greeting. 

As usual, Zoey didn’t even break stride in her conversation, throwing her girlfriend a small smile between words as a greeting.

“Hey Fiona.” Rythian said, pausing the conversation. 

Fiona offered him a smile. “What are we talking about?” 

Rythian chuckled before answering. “I was berating your girlfriend for getting high.” 

Fiona narrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the man’s words. “What?” 

“Look at her!” He said, pointing at the serene look on Zoey’s face. “Check out her pupils.” 

Fiona leaned in, hand on one side of Zoey’s face. 

“You are really beautiful.” Zoey mumbled, nuzzling her face into Fiona’s hand. “Can I keep you?” 

Fiona smiled gently, noting that the usual blue of her girlfriend’s eyes was almost completely eclipsed by the blackness of her blown pupils. “What have you taken?” 

Zoey grunted at her and slapped her hand away. “Nothing, silly.” She chastised. “All my friends are happy and safe and it’s nice.” She concluded, pushing off from the floor. “I’m going to get a drink, you two want any?” 

Both friends still on the blanket shook their heads and watched as Zoey skipped off towards the door to the office. 

“I was just teasing.” Rythian said. “After so long of having bad emotions around, I think it’s messing with her power that we’re all so happy right now.” He said offering his friend a smile. 

 

Fiona nodded and grinned back, eyes roaming over the rest of the group lounging around and, for the first time in a while she felt like they were all going to be okay.


	18. Daddy Issues

It was time. 

Time for Alex to face the man who he had spent most of his life pretending didn’t exist.

He didn’t want to do it, - not really – but what was he meant to do? He had come to the conclusion that this was something hanging over him, holding him back from really getting back to normal. 

He couldn’t ignore it any more, he needed answers and he wasn't going to get them from anywhere else. 

What do you say to the person who helped bring you into this world and then dropped you as a bad decision? How do you ask the questions? How could he prepare himself for the answers? 

-

Alex had never felt as young and stupid than in that moment, waiting for his knock to be answered. 

Mark had left before his hand had even made contact with the smooth darkness of the door, understanding that Alex needed to do this in his own time. 

"Come in." 

Alex tried to take a steadying breath, hesitating with his hand on the door handle when it hitched as it hit the back of his throat. 

He took another breath, telling himself to stop being a twat and pushed the handle down, stepping into the room. 

The office was decorated fairly ornately, dark wood panelling and matching desk. Bile rose in Alex's throat as he scanned the room, everything looked so expensive and it made him feel like he was sullying the room just by standing in it in his casual jeans and t shirt.

"Sit down, Alexander." 

Alex snapped his attention to the man behind the desk. Wavy brown hair, interspersed with strands of grey around the temple. Familiar features that Alex recognised from the mirror looked back at him, blue eyes crinkled around the edges behind a pair of square glasses that made the resemblance to his other son more prominent. 

He should have shaved. 

The rough stubble on his cheeks was scratchy against his hand as he scrubbed his face in a gesture that smacked of nerves. He sat on the chair that the man behind the desk indicated, trying to decide if he should relax back into the seat or sit straight. He opted for the latter.

"You're taller than I thought you would be." The man commented, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. 

Alex met his eye and blinked at him, his brain not offering anything helpful that he could reply with.

"That's your grandfather’s genes." The man continued. "You look a lot like him, except for the colouring." He mused. "The red in your beard is from your mother’s side." 

Alex nodded. "Yeah, her parents were Scottish." 

It was a pointless comment and he silently berated himself for it as they descended into silence. 

"Markus said you had some questions for me?" The older man prompted. 

Alex nodded again. "Yeah. Just about family and stuff." He said, mentally kicking himself for being so timid. "And the magic." 

The other man sat back in his seat. "As far as I have been able to trace, it goes back four generations from yourself and Markus." He said. "You two, me, my father, my grandfather and my great grandmother." 

Alex’s heckles rose immediately. He had known this information before from Mark but it didn’t stop the rush of anger is caused to rush through him at the admittance. Hurt radiating through his chest at the rejection it made him feel, why had he never come to check on Alex if it’s possible he had powers? What kind of person lets another go through the confusion that Alex had to go through when his powers manifested? Let alone their own child. 

"If it runs in the family-" He started, stopping himself from letting his anger bubble to the surface. He knew, he must have known. The magic ran in the family and he hadn’t even bothered to check if Alex had any powers, just leaving him out in the world without any warning of what was to come in his teenage years. Instead of carrying through with his accusation he instead asked another question. "You don’t have any siblings?" 

The older man shook his head. "I am the only child of only children." He replied. "There shouldn’t be any more surprise family out there for you. If that is what you are asking?" 

Alex's eyes widened slightly at the flippancy in the other man's voice but he turned his head to try and hide it. Where the fuck did this man get off? How dare he assume to know anything about Alex’s expectations or wants? He had no right. 

Was it too much to expect some compassion or general kindness from the man opposite him? 

“And my mom, she never knew about the magic?” Alex managed to ask, his voice much gentler than he had expected it to be.

His father raised an eyebrow, seeming to be mocking the question. “Of course not.” He answered. “You cannot trust those without powers to keep things like this to themselves. Just look at the witch trials here and in America. Look at the hunting of our kind throughout the world in the last century. The less that those people know the better.” 

Alex was taken back by the calm manner that the man had spoken in. “She wouldn't have told anybody.” Alex defended in a small voice, something about the way the man had spoken bringing to mind racist undertones as if he saw himself and those with powers above those without it. 

“Have you told her?” 

Alex shifted under the other man’s scrutinising gaze uncomfortably. “No.”

His father hummed a pleased note. “Good.” He said, more to himself than Alex. “Do you have anything else you wish to discuss? I am a very busy man.”

Alex sucked in a breath, his heart constricting and stomach dropping at the same time that the blood in his veins seemed to boil and his face flushed in anger. "I apologise if my existence is inconveniencing you." Alex snapped. 

The man raised a brow at Alex's temper. Alex baulked at the look, knowing it was one he often sported and hating the fact that he recognised it as such. "Losing your temper isn't going to make this any easier Alexander." 

Alex snorted a sarcastic breath through his nose, if this was how the other man wanted to play it then Alex had no qualms with exchanging heated words. "No, I suppose it isn't." He replied. "But in all honesty, it felt pretty good." 

“You are not a child anymore Alexander, don’t act like one.” The man snapped in a clipped tone. 

Alex stared at the man in front of him for a second, blinking at him in disbelief before he started to talk. Louder than his previous words. “Don’t you dare speak to me as if you have any say in my life, you lost any chance you had at being anything resembling a father figure to me when you ran out of mine and moms lives.” 

“Yet you have not asked why I left?” The man countered. “You seem to assume it is my fault.” 

Alex narrowed his eyes.

His father sighed. “We were not good together, your mother and I. Staying would have been worse for you than better. Julie was from a different world than I, not just in socioeconomic circumstances – although that was something that had to be taken into account.” 

Alex practically growled at the man opposite him, gritting his teeth as he interrupted. “Did you ever even spare me a thought for all those years?" He challenged, letting his anger run com to the surface to give him the courage he needed to voice the questions he really wanted to ask. "Did you ever think that since the magic runs in the family and that Mark has it that I might too?" He shot out. "That I might be out there, terrified with all this shit happening that I couldn’t explain or control?" 

The older man didn’t respond, instead watching as Alex stood and started to pace. 

"Did you even think about what we went through? How mom would support us alone, with no money or family to help?" The questions bubbled out of him, faster and sharper and louder. 

"What about now? Did you even give two shits that Mark wanted to contact me? That he found out about your dirty little secret and actually gave a fuck?" 

Alex stopped pacing, placing both his hands on the back of the chair he had previously occupied, leaning down to look at his father in the eye again. 

The older man hadn't moved at all, sitting resolutely behind his desk and ignoring the few objects around the room that were hovering a few inches from surfaces. 

“You still don't give two fucks, do you?” 

**********

Alex stalked out of the room and resisted the urge to slam the door behind himself. Striding towards the other side of the large house and up the staircase to hopefully escape through the portal back to the office without running into Mark. 

Apparently his luck was not holding out in the slightest. Mark was lounging on his bed and scrolling through his phone, glasses slipping down his nose as Alex entered the room. 

Mark looked up. "Didn’t go well?" He asked gently, eyes straying to Alex's clenched jaw and fists. 

Alex threw himself down onto the sofa opposite the bed and rested his ankle against his other knee, looking casual despite the anger still coursing through him. “Is he always like that?” 

“A complete cunt?” Mark asked, meeting his brother’s eye. “Yeah, pretty much.” 

“And to think I was jealous of your life.” Alex sighed gently. 

Mark pushed his glasses further up his nose as his eyebrows rose in surprise. “Have you never heard the phrase ‘money can’t buy you happiness’?” He asked. “I would have much preferred to live with you and your mom than with my parents.” 

“Was it really that bad?” 

Mark shrugged. “Moved around so much that I never got to have real friends, spent most of my childhood doing the ‘children should be seen and not heard’ thing.” 

Alex made a face, his nose crinkling is disgust. “Even your mom?” He asked. Alex was still yet to meet Mark’s elusive mother. She was always out whenever Alex came over to his house, Mark rarely spoke of her or his father. 

The younger man dropped his phone to the bed and scratched at the patchy stubble on his chin for a moment before answering. “Mom was a little more interested I guess. She had a family to impress with my active power but that was all I was really I think.” 

“She doesn’t have an active power?” 

Mark shook his head. “No, nor dad. Apparently it was something of a disappointment in both of their families when they were shown to not have one.” He answered. “Her side of the family are much more active in the community and stuff, old bloodlines and crap. She practically got disowned when she didn’t have a power but they welcomed her back once she had me.” 

Alex huffed. “Doesn’t excuse how they treat you.” 

Mark shrugged again but Alex saw something like hurt cross his face for a moment before he smiled at him. “Doesn’t matter anyway. I have you and the guys at the office now, if all else fails I can become a hobo like your boyfriend.” 

Alex’s mouth dropped open in mock offence. “Ross is not a hobo!” He insisted, springing to his feet and marching over to Mark. “Take it back!” He demanded, arms crossed. 

Mark rolled his eyes and smirked. “Oh right, I forgot. He’s your special little snowflake and you love him to the moon and back.” The younger man deadpanned. 

“You little shit!” Alex shouted, lunging for his brother who rolled out of the way and off the other side of the bed. 

“Shouldn’t drink so much, big brother.” Mark teased. “Makes you say stupidly sappy things.” 

“Yeah, like that I love you, you little prick. I totally take that back now.” 

Mark shot forward through the portal as Alex made another jump for him. Alex followed with a loud expletive and a booming laugh, landing at the other side to find that Mark was not in their shared office. Before he could even take a step towards the door to chase after the other man he was hit in the chest by a nerf dart. 

“One nil to me!” Mark shouted, flashing into view for a millisecond as he sprinted passed the open door and down the corridor. 

Alex shook his head at his brother’s antics and grinned, a second nerf gun was leaning against the desk to his left – it was fully loaded. 

“You better run!” Alex shouted, snatching the plastic weapon up.


	19. Dinner and memories

The room was large and ornately decorated in dark wood. The dining table standing in the middle was big enough to seat at least six but only two people were at it. 

Mark was concentrating on his food, trying to eat as quickly as possible whilst also being respectful and use the manners that the woman sitting opposite him has instilled in him as a child. 

“Your father tells me that you’ve been spending a lot of time with your brother?” The woman asked, looking up and reaching out to pick up her wine glass in front of her plate. 

Mark chewed his mouthful of food, swallowing quickly so he could respond to his mother. 

“Yeah.” He confirmed. “We’ve been practicing magic and he’s been helping me with my concentration so I can maintain an illusion for longer.” 

His mother smiled at his response, seemingly pleased with the information. “That’s good.” She praised. “It’s good to see you taking an interest in your powers again.” She commented as before taking a sip of her drink and placing the glass down again to pick up her knife and fork. 

Mark nodded but didn’t say anything further. There was no need to disappoint her by explaining that the only reason for his efforts was so that he could have longer sessions of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. 

“It’s a shame we keep missing each other.” She commented, referencing the fact that after so many months Smith and Mark’s mother had still yet to meet due to her work schedule and maybe slightly in part to Mark’s own reservations after his brothers reaction to his childhood and the way he had been treated by both of his parents. “And the others are doing okay?” She queried, taking another sip from her wine glass. “I believe you said there was near forty of you now?” 

Mark nodded again, a large smile plastered to his face. It wasn’t often that either of his parents took an interest in his life and he supposed that was down to his own disinterest in magic before now. 

“There’s like thirty eight or something.” He answered. “It’s kind of hard to keep track with everyone.” 

Mark’s mother waited to speak until she caught her son’s eye. “I’m glad you have finally found some friends that you can be yourself with.” She said before tucking back into her food. 

“Me too.” Mark replied, looking down at his empty plate, unsure if he could carry on talking or is he should clean up and go to his room as he usually would after finishing a meal with either of his parents. 

“How about we go out on the patio and you can tell me what you and your friends have been learning?” The auburn haired woman asked as she placed her knife and fork together on her now empty plate. 

The jump of excitement in Mark’s chest sparked another grin. He sprang from his seat, grabbing up his empty plate and hurrying to the other side of the table to take his mother's. “I’ll clean these then come outside.”

The woman smiled gently at him, standing and ruffling his hair. “Good boy, I’ll see you outside.” She said as she picked up her half full wine glass and made her way out of the room. 

Mark worked diligently for a few minutes, making sure that he had cleaned everything before heading out the back porch where his mother sat on a large bench swing, glass of wine still in her hand as she fussed with a blanket on her lap. 

“So, aside from Alex I don’t think you have told me any of your friend’s names?” The woman questioned, tucking a strand of light auburn hair behind her ear. 

Mark sat on the seat next to her, pulling his feet up and sitting cross legged on the bench. “I talk to Trott a lot.” Mark started, correcting himself quickly as his mother narrowed her brows at the name. “Chris Trott, that is. Everyone calls him Trott though.” 

The woman smiled and swivelled in her seat slightly, one leg resting on the bench and the other on the floor she handed Mark a corner of the blanket to place over his own lap. 

Mark closed his eyes briefly against the nostalgia washing over him, smiling contently as he felt the swing start to move gently and long summer evenings of his early childhood flashing behind his closed eyes.

Summers of running in this very garden as his mother chased him, playing games. Afternoon picnics in the hazy sunshine as his parents would sit together on an old blanket and he would paint them pictures that would later adorn the fridge, on his large plastic easel. 

Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see the garden in front of them, dotted with wild flowers and with a large bird bath in the centre that had been moved years previously. 

His power was usually well controlled but Mark attributed the accidental use to the memories that being in this place and swinging with his mother brought forth. 

The woman looked around with a grin. “Oh, Mark.” She breathed. “Your power really has come on.” She praised. “It’s so complete, I can smell the honeysuckle and hear the birds in the trees.” 

Mark wasn’t sure what to say to the comment so instead pulled another image forth. 

He watched his mother’s face as the illusion of Smith walked out from the house and pulled up a chair opposite them. “I guess since you haven’t been able to meet him yet, you can at least see him here.” 

“The level of detail you have its phenomenal.” 

Mark smirked as he made the image of Smith blush and wave his hand dismissively. “Why thank you, kind lady.” 

His mother laughed at the fake Smith. “And that’s his voice too?” 

Mark nodded. “I can pretty much manage anyone who I have heard a couple of times.” 

“Really?” 

“The mannerisms are harder, takes more time but if I know the person well then I can usually get them down.” 

A voice came from the house, where ‘Smith’ had come from. “He isn’t wrong.” A duplicate of the woman sitting next to Mark announced, his mother gaped up at her doppelganger. 

“This is very bizarre.” 

The double nodded in agreement. “It is rather disconcerting.” 

\--

Hours had passed with Mark throwing person after person into the illusion for his mother’s pleasure. He was having a great time and lapping up the praise from the woman who had brought him into this world and not shown much interest in him since his childhood. 

Talk had meandered through topics that encapsulated Mark’s education, hobbies and brief mentions of his new friends. 

“And this is Katie.” Mark announced, conjuring an image of the redhead. “She is super cool, she was one of the first people to really take me under her wing and stuff.” 

His mother tilted her head a little as she regarded the image of Katie. “Does she always wear elbow length gloves? I thought that went out of fashion before I was born.” 

Mark laughed and shook his head. “Her power is activated by touch, she sees the past and sometimes she wears the gloves to stop her power being triggered.” 

The woman raised her eyebrows. “That sounds powerful.” 

“It’s pretty horrible for her, I think.” Mark says gently. “It doesn’t always show nice things.” 

“The past rarely does.” His mother sighed gently as Mark let the image of Katie fade away. 

**********

Duncan wiped the sweat away from his brow with the back of his arm and stepped away from the heat of the cauldron as the door opened and Hannah stepped into the room. 

“Any progress?” She asked, walking forwards to peer into the bubbling caldron and appraise the blood red mixture inside. 

The blonde man nodded. “Last batch pretty much exploded in my face again but I almost had it and I am pretty sure I know where I went wrong.” 

Hannah nodded alone with a smile, walking past Duncan and picking up the open pad of paper to look over his notes. She made a face and squinted at the scribble on the page, unable to decipher all of it because of Duncan’s awful hand writing. “When you decide to write your notes in a language I can actually understand, I’ll look over them.” 

Duncan offered her his middle finger in response which she merely rolled her eyes at before pulling herself up to side on one of the empty counters lining the room. Duncan adjusted the heat of the fire until it was at a gentle simmer and sat down at the table, facing Hannah. 

“I’ll dupe the notes later and block capital them for you, like usual.” He conceded with a sigh. 

Silence permeated the air as Duncan picked up his pen and continued to make notes whilst the blonde on the counter starred off into the middle distance for a few minutes. 

Hannah was brought out of her silence by a question from the man at the table. “Are you okay? You’re doing the silent ‘resting bitch face’ thing.” 

This time it was Hannah with a rude hand gesture as she slid down from the counter and joined her friend at the table. “I’m just restless, I guess.” She said before taking a breath to continue. “Things have been getting a lot better and I think I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.” 

Duncan nodded as she spoke. “You aren’t the only one.” As if to demonstrate this, his hand started to twirl the pen he was still holding around. 

The blonde woman shrugged. “Still not sleeping?” 

Duncan shook his head. “Sleep is okay now, and the clone thing is under control but it’s the relapsing.” He explained. “I feel like I’m better and everything is going okay and then suddenly I have a nightmare out of the blue or something and it’s like I’m back to fucking square one.” 

Hannah leant her elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm. “Unfortunately that will happen.” She advised gently. “It doesn’t just magically go away forever in one go, mate.” 

Duncan pulled a face at the information. “Then I guess I better stock up on that sleep potion.” 

“I am sorry, man. It sucks and I wish there was something we could do to speed up everyone’s recovery.” 

Duncan swiped the hair out of his face and ceased twirling the pen in his hand, letting it drop on top of his notepad.

“Is Kim doing okay? I haven’t been able to speak to her in a while.” 

A small smile graced Duncan’s lips at the mention of Kim’s name. “She’s been busy keeping me sane and also doing stuff with Ross and with Trott too.” 

Hannah shrugged a shoulder. “I figured she was, kinda miss hanging out though. Girls night with her and Katie we’re fun.” She mumbled quietly. 

“She’s spending some time with her parents this weekend but if you hit her up on email then I’m sure she will be down for girl's night when she gets back.” 

Hannah raised an eyebrow. “Why so keen? Usually you moan when we banish you from hanging with us?” When Duncan didn’t offer an answer, Hannah pointed her finger at him. “If you think you’re going to steal Lewis and go on one of your stupid adventures…” 

Duncan interrupted before she could finish her sentence. “Ah, ah, ah. Remember the deal? We don't ask what happens on girl's night and you don't ask about what happens at guy's night.”

Hannah narrowed her eyes at Duncan who sat back in his seat with his arms folded across his chest with a small smile on his face.


	20. A new arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time for girls night, and guys night

The boy looked half dead when she found him, his glasses askew on his face as he slept in the small alley behind the shop. 

She studied him for a moment, his blue jeans were ripped at the knees and covered in dark stains from too much wear. His green t shirt looked thin and goose bumps were risen on his bare arms from the cold Irish wind blowing down the alley.

Arlene hugged her shawl more securely around herself and walked closer. 

He couldn’t have been much older than sixteen she reasoned, noting the lack of lines and the general roundness of his face, in contrast to the thinness of his limbs and the way his clothes seemed to hang off him like he had either lost a lot of weight recently or that the clothes were not his own. 

Arlene worried her lower lip as she tried to decide what to do, her heart screaming at her to wake the boy and offer him shelter but her head much more jaded by experience, worried about offering anything to a stranger, no matter how innocent they looked. 

The first spot of rain hit her square on the crown and made the decision for her, she could not in good conscience leave him out in the rain. 

She walked forwards the couple of steps needed to stand by his head and crouched, extending a hand to try and wake the boy with gentle movements. 

He grumbled in his sleep, trying to move away from the hand before blinking his eyes open slowly. 

As soon as their eyes met the boy pushed himself backwards with everything he had, his back hitting the brick wall behind him and his legs pulled up to his chest. “Please don't hurt me.” 

Arlene made a shushing noise and tried not to move. “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you, little one.” 

“What do you want?” He asked, blue eyes darting around Arlene’s face before also scanning the alley. 

Arlene held her hands up to try and convey she wasn’t a threat. “You were asleep out the back of my shop.” She tried to explain gently, gesturing to the building that the boy's back was plastered against.

“The magic shop?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the woman opposite. 

She nodded, ignoring the protesting of her knees as she continued to crouch. “I’m Arlene.” She said, trying to coax something out of the boy. “If you want to come inside, I can make you a hot drink and some food if you’d like?” 

The boy’s eyes seemed to brighten at the mention of food so Arlene smiled warmly at him, putting her palms on her thighs she stood slowly and motioned towards the back door to the shop. 

The boy struggled to his feet, using the wall for support and proceeded her into the shop at a shuffle. 

**********

“I still don't get how this is going to work?” Duncan questioned the group. 

They were on the island, the sun beating down on the men dressed in various contrasting outfits. Some were in camo, others had tried their best without it and wore dark greens and browns. Sips stood in Hawaiian shorts and a white t shirt – a stark contrast to everyone else. 

Turps raised a brow at the blonde man. “I’ll watch on the go pro’s and when the round starts I will text you all letting you know if you are innocent or not.” 

“Then we all hunt out Trott and shoot him in the dick,” Smith added, smirking at the man in question. “Because even if Trott isn’t a traitor it’ll be hilarious.” 

“No fucking RDMing!” Trott shot back, pointing a finger at Smith. “And no cheating with powers either.” 

Smith rolled his eyes. “You’re no fun, Trotty.” 

The shorter man offered his friend the middle finger as Lewis clapped his hands together once to get everyone's attention. “Once we move out, we have ten minutes before the round starts. If you get hit then you come back to Turps.” 

Sips slung his paintball gun over his shoulder and eyed the others. “Let’s do this.” 

Simon pushed his glasses further up his nose, adjusting the backpack on his shoulder and walked off into the tree line - a shouted “See you later, shitlord’s’ reaching the group as he disappeared into the foliage. 

*********

Hannah patted her stomach in satisfaction, a loud belch echoing around the room that was met with giggles from the others. Kim held a hand aloft to the other woman. “That deserved a high five.” 

Hannah nodded smugly and slapped her hand against Kim’s. “It’s a talent.” 

Katie groaned quietly and rolled onto her stomach to face Fiona. “You need to stop making such good food. I think I might explode.” 

The other woman shrugged at Katie. “You didn’t have to finish the whole thing yourself.” 

The redhead raised her brows. “I wasn't going to let it go to waste, Fiona!” Katie protested. 

Zoey ignored the exchanged between her girlfriend and Katie and pushed herself to her feet. “I’m getting the cake.” 

“Yes please!” Katie replied with a sweet smile. 

“I thought you were going to explode?” Fiona asked, folding her arms across her chest. 

Katie met her eye for a moment before looking away. “Food full and cake full is totally different!” 

Kim chimed in with a grin. “Katie is like a cow, has loads of different stomachs and one is solely responsible for her cake consumption.” 

Katie nodded in agreement. 

*********

It was only the second round when the sun started to set. 

Turps turned to see Martyn emerge from the tree line towards him. “Sips got me.” He said in answer to the unasked question. 

Turps motioned to the beach behind him where most of the group were sat around a fire, bright paint splotches on various parts of their bodies. 

Approaching, Martyn caught the tail end of an argument between Lewis and Simon. 

“I thought you were a traitor! You were shooting at Duncan!” Lewis protested. 

“Duncan had just shot Zylus, I was trying to take him out!” Simon answered back. 

“Well, I didn’t know that. All I saw was you shooting at Duncan and telling him to fuck himself.” 

Martyn picked his way towards them and sat down on the soft sand. “It’s Duncan then?” 

Lewis and Simon nodded. “That leaves Ross, Trott, Smith and Sips out there with him.” 

“No one else has come back a traitor?” The blonde questioned. 

Simon shook his head. “It’s one of them still out there.” 

Lewis threw another log on the fire. “Maybe Smith was right and we should have dick shot Trott?” 

*********

Zoey pulled her hair out of her face and secured it at the back of her neck with a clip before leaning against Fiona who raised her arm to put it around her girlfriends shoulder. 

Kim practically skipped through the door and settled on one of the mattress’ on the floor with a smirk that had Hannah raising an eyebrow. “I got a good one!” 

Katie motioned for her to continue. 

“Would you rather never have painful cramps again or never have to shave again?” 

Hannah scoffed. “Never shave again. Too easy.” 

“Fine, you go.” Kim challenged. 

“Would you rather,” The blonde paused, looking around the room for inspiration. “Never play a Pokémon game ever again or never play a Final Fantasy game ever again.” 

Kim’s eyes widened. “That’s not fair.” She complained, looking almost pained by the question. 

Hannah grinned at her. “Answer the question, Kim.” 

Kim looked around at the rest of the room, her head whipping between her friends. Zoey held her hands up. “I’m going Pokémon on this one.” She admitted almost apologetically to the smaller girl sitting opposite her. 

“That’s like asking you to choose between Dungeon Keeper and Tomb Raider!” Kim protested. 

“Ahh, but it isn’t your turn is it?” Hannah smirked back. “Come on, Kim. Pokémon or Final Fantasy.” 

Kim pouted and glanced over at her stuffed toy in the corner of the room. “I’m sorry, Gengar.” She muttered, before meeting Hannah’s eye with a scowl on her face. 

**********

Smith rounded the corner with his gun out in front of him, coming face to face with Ross whose own gun was level with Smith’s chest. 

Neither man moved for a few beats. 

“Spell innocent backwards!” Ross demanded with a stern look before realising what he had just said.

Smith narrowed his brows. “You’re a fucking idiot.” 

“Are you gonna shoot me?” 

Smith lowered his weapon. “I could never shoot you, babe.” 

Ross let his gun drop to his side in disbelief and pointed down at his stomach where a green splat was visible from their previous game where Smith had shot him at pretty much point blank range when they had made an unsteady alliance to take out Lewis who Ross had thought was the traitor. 

“Want me to kiss it better?” Smith asked with a wink that caused Ross’ face to heat before he grabbed a fist full of the front of Smith’s shirt and crashed their lips together. 

********

“And he just kind of stood there, looking at me for ages and I wasn’t sure what he wanted.” 

Kim snorted a laugh. “Just stood there, staring at you from the door?” At Katie’s nod Kim commented further. “Smooth, Trott, very smooth.” 

Katie laughed too. “He was pale and I was kind of freaking out, I had no idea what he wanted to talk about because he was just this mumbling mess and I missed half of what he said to me.” 

Hannah was laughing, picturing it in her head as Katie spoke. “I wish I could have seen it.” 

“It was adorable.” Katie said with a fond smile. “So, I told him to slow down and asked if he wanted to come in and he said yes and kind of just stood in the middle of the room looking at me for a bit.” 

Kim buried her face in her hands, grinning as Zoey let out an ‘aww’ noise and Fiona squeezed her hand gently. 

“Then he kind of blurted something that I think had something to do with calling me pretty, but it might not have been and then he practically shouted, ‘I like you and I want to date you.’.” 

Kim’s laughter got louder as Hannah also clapped a hand to her mouth. “And you said yes?” 

Katie nodded. “Yep.” She said, not offering anything more. “Somehow I can’t imagine Duncan being much smoother than that.” She shot back at Kim who was still sniggering to herself. 

Hannah nodded in agreement. “Not exactly known for being suave with the ladies.” 

Kim rolled her eyes at her friends and looked down at her hands as she answered. “He didn’t exactly do anything.” 

“But you did.” Zoey chimed in, feeling the waves of embarrassment washing off Kim.

“It was the day Ross got here and Smith had made some comment about me and Ross shagging and Duncan left the room in a huff and I went after him.” Kim explained. 

They all smiled at the memory that seemed like a million years ago. “I remember that.” Katie piped up. “I told Smith off but Zoey said it was a good thing that he had done it.” 

Kim turned to look at the woman in question. “Why?” 

Zoey cocked her head as if to say ‘well it, did, didn’t it.’ “The emotions coming from you were perfect, you felt determined and full of purpose as you strode off. I figured you would either punch Smith or go after Duncan and tell him how you felt and since you moved away from Smith I assumed the latter.” 

Kim pushed her hair out of her face with a sweep of her hand. “I found him in the library and told him that I had no interest in Ross and that I much preferred blondes.” 

“You did not!” Hannah exclaimed. “That is terrible.” 

Kim shrugged. “Well, he kissed me - so it worked.” 

********

“Who’s left?” Sips’ voice crackled over the radio. 

Trott flicked his fringe out of his eyes and tried to remember when Turps’ voice came through the small black box clipped to his belt. “You, Trott, Smith and Ross.” 

“What the fuck happened to Duncan?” 

Duncan’s voice replied a moment later. “Me and Mark took each other out, we’re on our way back to base.” 

“Has anyone seen Smiffy or Ross around?” Sips asked. 

Trott scoffed before answering. “Like we’d tell you, traitor!” 

“Are you all out there banging? Cause it’s just plain rude to not invite me, you know.” 

Trott pressed his hand to his eyes. “I did not need that visual.” 

A long crackle came through the radio, a breathless sounding Smith speaking after a few seconds. “You love it, Trotty.” Smith’s declaration was followed by a low whimper that caused an uproar on the radio channel.

“Oh my fucking god Smith!” Trott shouted into the small black box. “Are you and Ross…?” This was quickly followed by another shout. “No, I don't want to know. I take it back.” 

“Ross and Smith are down.” Turps announced. 

There was a few moments of silence before Sips’ voice came through. “I told you boys, it’s rude to not invite me.” 

Trott rolled his eyes and made a run for the tree line. 

*********  
Arlene pressed the phone hard against her ear as it rang, sparing a glance into the other room where the boy now slept on the sofa after a hot meal. 

The voicemail kicked in and she sighed in frustration, clicking the end call button before trying another number. 

The boy mumbled something in his sleep as he turned over, Arlene moved a few more steps away as the ringing continued in her ear for a few more moments before a click sounded and a voice started to speak. “Good day, It’s Ross. I can’t come to the phone right now so leave me a message and I’ll call you back, Ta ra!” 

Arlene pursed her lips for a moment as the robotic voice that followed advised her on how to leave the message and waited for the beep to advise she should start talking. 

At the sound she took a breath. “Ross, it’s Arlene. I have a young lad here asking a lot of questions about you and Kim. Call me when you get this. Thanks.”


	21. Old Friends

Ross didn’t listen to the voicemail until the next morning. 

It had been late when he had received it and he was a little too merry and very much too comfortable cuddled up against Smith's side by the campfire to answer his phone. 

Arlene's voice had been a rough whisper and he had to listen to it twice to catch everything that she had said before he stumbled out of bed to go looking for Kim, trying to be quiet so he wouldn’t wake the man asleep next to him. 

He found his pack sister in the kitchen of the office rummaging through the fridge and glaring at some of the things she found inside. 

"Morning." Ross mumbled, sitting down at the table and placing his phone on its surface. 

"Hey." Kim greeted back, shutting the fridge and turning towards the dark haired man. "Whats up?" She asked, tilting her head slightly and regarding him with a curious expression. 

"Have you spoken to Arlene in the last couple of days?" Ross asked. 

Kim shook her head and pulled up a chair next to her friend. "Had a missed call last night. Was going to call her back this morning. Why?" 

Ross picked up his phone and typed a couple of numbers in with one hand as he answered. "She left me a weird message." Rather than explaining further, he pressed another button and put the phone on loudspeaker. The message played in the quiet room. 

Kim screwed her nose at the message. "Have you called her back yet?" 

"No." Ross replied. "Was waiting to find you first and I wasn’t sure if it was too early to call her back." 

Kim reached a hand out and spun Ross' phone so she could read the screen. With a couple of presses Kim dialed Arlene and placed it back on speaker. A loud ringing sounded for a few seconds before a soft Irish voice answered. 

"Ross, thanks for calling back. Is Kim with you? I haven't been able to get hold of either of you." 

"Hey Arlene. Yeah, we're both here." Ross answered. 

They could hear her moving around on the other end of the phone for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Last night I went out back to put the bins out and there was a boy out there." She started. "He was asleep and very obviously a werewolf from the feel of his aura." She continued. 

"Okay?" Kim said, coaxing her to carry on with the inflection of her voice. 

"I woke him up, brought him into the shop and fed him. The poor thing was half frozen and starved by the looks of him." 

"You said he was asking questions about us?" Kim said, trying to keep her voice light when in reality her whole body was tense with the thought that some stranger knew about her pack and was looking for them. 

"He was talking about Ross a lot, talking like he knows you in some way. I assumed he was a friend and so I spoke about Kim a little but it became pretty obvious that he didn’t know anything about the two of you being in a pack and that was when the questions started in earnest." Arlene confessed. "I'm sorry. I really did think he knew you." 

"What exactly does he know?" Ross asked, skirting over Arlene's apology for the moment. 

Arlene sighed. "I'm not sure if everything he has said is true, told me things about you that I didn’t know but that’s not to say they're right. Mostly about your past and where you were before you got turned. I told him about your friend with the premonitions finding you and that you have a group of friends who are all magic users. I figured it wasn’t anything that your past enemies didn’t know anyway so if he was with them then it wouldn’t matter. But before I realized he didn’t know about it already, I mentioned Kim and that you had both been to see the O'Whelans a while back to learn more things about your condition." 

Ross and Kim shared a look, Ross shrugged. "It's okay Arlene, you didn’t tell him anything too important." Kim conceded. 

"He wants to meet you, asked if I could give him your number or arrange a meeting." 

Ross cocked an eyebrow at Kim who shrugged in response. "Did he happen to give you a name since I supposedly know him?" Ross asked. 

"Said his name was Matt but you would know him as Caff." 

Kim watched as Ross' fist clenched on the table. He pushed himself to his feet as he spoke. "I'm on my way." Snatching up the phone, he ended the call. 

********** 

Smith woke to the sound of rummaging in the room. He rubbed at his bleary eyes and regarded Ross for a moment. 

The dark haired man was pulling ingredients for a spell out of a chest of drawers with his back to Smith. Upon further looking around the room, Smith noticed Kim in the doorway. She offered him a small wave. "Mornin'" 

"S'going on?" Smith mumbled. 

Ross finished his gathering and strode over to the bed. "We're going out for a bit, going to see Arlene." He said, kneeling on the bed and placing a hand on the back of Smith's head to angle it down so he could place a quick kiss to the taller man's crown. "See you later." 

Smith scrunched his eyebrows in his sleepy confusion but replied with a yawned. 'Okay." 

Ross swept out of the room as Kim offered another wave before following after him. 

********** 

Once he had woken up properly, Smith wandered the office for a while looking for some company. Most of the rooms were empty. Their usual occupants absent at such an early hour after a night of drinking. 

Sips however, was in his office with his headphones covering his ears as he sat back in his seat, staring at his computer screen. 

Smith didn’t bother knocking and instead opened the door to get the other man's attention. 

Sips – probably noticing the movement out of the corner of his eye – turned his head and pulled his headphones down to rest against his neck. "Hey Smiffy, what's up?" The Canadian drawled. 

Smith shrugged. "Nothing. Bored." 

Sips motioned to the chair beside him in invitation but didn’t say anything. 

"You're still playing this game?" Smith asked as he sank into the chair, sitting back and mirroring the other man's relaxed posture by slouching down in his seat. 

"It's a great game." Sips defended, in a voice that sounded more bored than enthused as he continued to plan the new wing of his virtual prison. 

"How many hours have you racked up on that thing?" Smith asked, crossing his ankles and leaning back with his entwined hands cradling the back of his head. 

"Less than you have on Dota." 

Smith snorted in amusement. "That's not saying much." 

Sips shrugged and carried on playing his game in silence. 

Smith fidgeted for a few minutes. Ruffling his hair, moving his legs to a more comfortable position and stretching before scratching his nose and breaking the silence. "You ever think we should be doing something with our powers?" He asked, twisting strands of his beard between his fingers. 

"What? Like fucking superheros or something?" Sips asked, throwing Smith a strange look. 

"No." Smith denied. "I mean to make money with or something." He continued. "Hannah and Duncan could open up a brewing business and sell potions. Rythian could probably make some money selling spells or something, if we could get a good enough network. We could sell through that shop in Ireland." 

Sips scoffed. "What exactly would I do? Open a fucking dirt factory selling premium fucking soil to farmers or something?" He asked with a cock of his head. "And what about you? We could rent you out as a human climate control in some office building, the workers could tweak your nipples to control it. Left for hot and right for cold." 

Smith rolled his eyes. "You're such a twat, yknow?" 

Sips' top lip twitched in a small smirk. "I know." He agreed. "What's with the money making shit anyway? Sick of living a home or something?" 

Smith shook his head at the other man. "Just feel like I should be doing something with my life." 

Sips raised an eyebrow. "What happened to that company you, Ross and Trott were going to make?" 

"A lot of talk but not a lot of doing anything about it." Smith complained. 

"Well, if the three of you stopped banging every five minutes maybe you would get something done." 

"Can't help it, I'm insatiable." Smith shot back, in a level voice. "It's taking me all I have to not be humping your leg like a randy chihuahua right now." 

Sips' face broke out into a full grin as he laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Fucking hell, Smith." He spluttered out. "Come on." He ordered, pushing his chair away from the desk and getting to his feet. "Someone else must be around for you to torture with your presence by now." 

********* 

“Hey Trotty-boy” Smith greeted, placing his hands on the shorter man’s shoulders with a grin. 

Trott shrugged them off gently. “What do you want?” 

“He’s bored.” Sips commented, entering the room behind Smith. “You can babysit now, I’m going back to play my game.” 

Trott narrowed his eyes at Sips. “Why do I have to? Where’s Ross?” 

"I feel so fucking loved guys!" Smith protested with an exaggerated pout at both of his friends. 

Sips stuck his middle finger up at him in response and backed out of the room without saying another word. 

“Ross went to see Arlene with Kim.” Smith supplied, walking further into the room and towards the large sofa. 

Trott followed him and sat down with his feet up on the coffee table. “What for?” 

Smith shrugged but turned his head as someone else entered the room. 

Duncan spoke as he walked through the door and towards the other two. “Some kid is over there, wanted to see Ross.” 

“Who?” Smith asked. 

“No one we know apparently.” Duncan replied. “Some kid called Caff.” 

Smith’s eyebrows shot up. “Caff? Seriously?” 

“You know him?” Trott asked. 

Smith shook his head. “Just know what Ross has told me about him, didn’t think he was a magic user though.” 

“Kim said he turned up at the magic shop and Arlene is getting ‘wolfy vibes’ off him.” Duncan added. 

“That would explain why he seemed so pissed off.” Smith muttered. 

Trott turned in his seat so he could look at Smith. “He dangerous or something?” 

Smith shook his head. “Probably not, last time Ross saw him he was almost certainly not a werewolf though.” 

Trott raised his brows. "And they went alone?" He asked, looked around at the other two. 

Duncan made a non committal noise before speaking. "They can handle themselves." 

Trott huffed. "If they get hurt, I swear to god I am going to kick Kim's arse myself. She promised no more fucking rushing off without backup." 

"Hannah is going to be pissed off." Smith remarked gently. 

"Maybe we shouldn’t tell her?" Duncan proposed, sitting next to Smith. 

"Seconded." Smith replied, looking at Trott for a consensus. 

The shorter man just rolled his eyes but didn’t contest.


	22. Blood on the carpet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ross goes to see an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may have noticed, this chapter took a long time. I have been having some trouble with this one and i am hoping that now it is out of the way i will be able to progress with the story at a faster pace.

Kim had tried to talk Ross out of going to see his former friend. Cynicism and self-preservation was still very strong in Kim, and something about the whole thing just smacked of danger and unrealistic coincidence to her. It seemed like things had been going so well recently that any unexpected change put her on edge. 

Ross was having none of it. He was completely determined. Kim knew there was no way she would be able to stop the dark haired man from going and so decided to go with him instead. Reason told her that should anything go awry, it would be better for her to be with him as backup. 

 

Arlene’s was the same as the last time they had visited. Dark drapes half covered the windows, heavy nets obscuring the rest of the glass and giving the interior a permanent look of twilight. Candles burnt in various holders around the room, along with sticks of incense that cloyed at the wolves noses and caused Ross to let out a high pitched sneeze into the quiet shop. 

Arlene appeared only a few seconds after the bell had announced their presence, her arms outstretched as she approached. "It's good to see you both." She greeted, pulling Kim into a quick hug before moving on to Ross. "You both look well." She smiled, regarding them both. 

"It’s good to see you too." Kim answered, looking to Ross when he didn’t immediately respond to Arlene's greeting in kind. 

"Sorry." Ross apologised. "It's good to see you Arlene." He replied. "Is he...?" Ross asked, pointing towards the open door visible behind the counter. 

The Irish woman nodded gently. "He hasn't stopped asking when you would be arriving since I told him you were coming." She answered, patting Ross on the shoulder as he walked past her and towards the door. 

"Ross-" Kim started to protest but he silenced her with a look. 

"Just give us a minute first." He asked, voice gentle. "Please?" He asked, his blue eyes screaming vulnerability to Kim. 

Kim sighed. "Fine." She conceded. "But I'll be hard linked to you for any signs of trouble." She warned, trying to convey with her eyes that she was worried for him.

Ross nodded. "It might get a bit-" He paused. "- Don't come running just because I feel a bit sad or whatever, okay?" 

The two friends looked at each other for a few moments before Kim broke eye contact with a small nod of the head. 

"I'll get us some tea whilst the boys talk." Arlene suggested, looking between the two. 

Kim didn’t resist as Arlene steered her away from Ross and towards the other side of the room where a small kitchenette was tucked away. 

********** 

Ross wasn’t sure what to expect. He hadn't seen Caff in almost four years and the person he laid his eyes upon after entering the room bared little resemblance to the bespectacled boy of twelve that Ross remembered. 

He was thin and gangly, hair a mop of light brown that needed cutting to be able to fall in any kind of neat way. He had a small scruff of a beard and his clothes seemed to swamp his skinny frame. He was practically folded in on himself, his knees pulled up to his chest with his chin resting atop them.

Ross pressed this lips together as the memories washed over him. 

********

It had been about six months since his grandmother had died. The preteen was scared of pretty much everything that was going on around him at all times. Something that the bullies both at school and in the group home he had been taken to, took advantage of. Not to mention the questionable members of staff that Ross had somehow managed to mostly avoid attracting the attention of most of the time.

Ross spent most of the time he could locked in his small box room that he had been afforded and mostly he was left alone. Until school broke up. 

The staff at the house seemed to think that it wasn’t good for the children to be left to their own devices in their rooms for full days and so attendance was mandatory to their organised activities that would ‘keep the kids out of trouble’. 

Ross had managed to avoid being pulled into any of the activities by placing himself at the dining table with a book. Staff looking at him in approval as he pretended to be much more invested in the story than he was. 

The front door had opened and a shrieking could be heard echoing down the hall to where Ross was seated. 

“No! Let me go!” The voice was high pitched and full of frustration.

Ross strained his ears to try and hear more but all he got was the muffled sounds of adults talking and more protests from the voice until the front door slammed shut. 

A small waif of a boy was pushed forcefully into the kitchen, he could have been no older than seven or eight by his size but the language coming from his mouth told a different story. “Get the fuck off me, you arsehole.” The boy shouted, batting away the arms of the staff member who had forced him into the room. 

The boy received a swift slap to the back of his head that sent his glasses flying off his face to skid across the scuffed linoleum floor of the kitchen. “Behave yourself, you little shit or you’ll get much worse next time.” 

“I’ll fucking report you, you cunt.” The child threatened, eyes squinted up at the man. 

If there was one thing Ross had learnt since living in the home it was that you didn’t antagonise Donovan unless you wanted a swift beating that would leave bruises in the most painful, yet unseen places. 

Ross bent from his seat and retrieved the glasses from where they had stopped to rest by the table and pressed them into the new kid’s hand. “Come on.” He said, picking up the other child’s discarded backpack that probably contained everything he owned in the world. 

The boy slammed his glasses back on his face and chased after Ross as he left the room. “Oi, you bastard! Come back here with my bag! Where do you think you’re going?” 

*********

The boy hadn't moved or seemed to notice Ross in the doorway as he had been enveloped in memories. Ross stood at the entrance of the room as Caff sat with his eyes fixed on the TV as the news played quietly. 

Ross cleared his throat. 

The boys head whipped around and found Ross lingering in the doorway. His face splitting into a large grin that sent a pang of nostalgic recognition through Ross' chest. 

"Holy shit," Caff swore. "You're really here." He said, springing to his feet and making a beeline for the dark haired man. “Fuck, man. I never thought I would see you again, you twat.” 

Ross met his eyes and grinned back, striding forwards to meet Caff halfway with his arms open wide to sweep him into a hug.

Ross lifted the younger man off his feet and he wrapped his arms around him. Their hug stretching out as Caff buried his face into Ross' chest and Ross tightened his arms around the boy's shoulders and set his feet back on the ground. Caff’s arms were tight around Ross and it sent a wave of relief through the dark haired man, showing that his friend wasn’t as fragile as he looked in his too big clothes. 

"God. I have missed you, little dude." Ross sighed, pulling out of the hug to look at Caff. 

Caff smiled at the old nickname and pushed at Ross' shoulder. "Almost as big as you now." He protested with a fake scowl. “And still faster.” He challenged, thinking back to the times they had fled places together and Caff had left Ross in the dust. 

"You'll always be my little dude, even if you grow to eight feet tall." Ross said, affection colouring his tone. “As for speed, we’ll see about that.” He added, pushing at Caff’s shoulder and causing him to stumble slightly. 

Caff snorted a laugh. "So-" He said, changing the subject. "- we're both werewolves, huh?" 

"I see you haven't got much better with tact." 

Caff shrugged. “No point holding shit back from you.” He admitted. “You’d get it out of me eventually anyway.” 

Ross sighed, ran a hand through his hair and sat down on the sofa that Caff had previously occupied. 

"What the fuck happened to you?" Ross asked, motioning to the seat beside him. 

"Apparently the same as you." Caff answered. "Got attacked in Beacon woods last year, weird shit started happening and I saw reports that you had been there too." He explained. "I tried to come find you but you had vanished." 

Ross nodded. "The news said no one else who saw them survived except me?" He questioned. 

Caff shrugged again. "I tried to keep it under wraps." He started. "I wasn’t exactly supposed to be down there anyway." 

Ross raised an eyebrow. "Sneaking out?" He asked, thinking back on all the times he had done the very same thing both alone and with Caff. 

"You taught me well." Caff shot back, also raising a brow. 

********* 

Kim could hear every word spoken between the two in the other room. Arlene didn’t interrupt her listening other than to gently place a steaming cup in front of the smaller woman who smiled at her in thanks. 

After a few minutes it became apparent to Kim that Ross wasn’t in danger so she pulled her attention back. “How’s business?” She asked, looking towards Arlene and taking a sip of her tea. 

Arlene nodded as she spoke. “Very well since you introduced your friends to me.” She answered. “The potion ingredients side is busier than it's ever been, thanks to Hannah.” 

Kim smiled. “That girl does love her potions.” 

“Bloody good at them too.” Arlene complimented. “I’m thinking of offering her a job brewing for me.” 

“Really?” 

“She’s a damn sight better than I am.” Arlene confessed. “Quicker too.” She added. “If she agrees then I can spend more time on other things that need it around here.” 

“I think she’d like that.” Kim replied. “I’ll ask her about it if you’d like?” 

Arlene broke eye contact and looked towards the doorway at the back as she answered Kim. “Yes, if you wouldn't mind.” 

Kim nodded and followed Arlene’s eye line to where Ross was emerging with a shorter boy from the other room. She stood as they approached, tilting her head slightly to scrutinise the younger man whilst also taking a deep breath through her nose to try and catch his scent. 

“Caff-” Ross said, stopping in front of Kim. “- this is Kim. Kim, Caff.” 

The boy looked terrified but still held a slightly shaking hand out towards the woman in front of him after flicking a quick look to Ross to reassure himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said, voice seemingly void of any fear. 

Ross smiled, and nodded at both of his friends in encouragement. 

Kim wet her lip as she took his hand. A feeling like a small electric current shooting up her arm at the contact. “You too.” She replied, keeping hold of his hand for a few seconds longer than was strictly comfortable. 

Ross held his breath through the meeting. Only releasing it when Kim finally released Caff’s hand and they took half a step away from each other. 

“Well-” Arlene interrupted the heavy atmosphere with a clap of her hands. “-That was intense.” She continued before shaking her head slightly. “Anyone for cake?” 

Kim snorted a laugh. “Its fine, Arlene. We aren’t going to kill each other.” 

“Good.” Arlene replied back. “I would hate to have to try and scrub blood out of the carpet again.”


	23. Parting ways

"I don’t have time for this, I need to go pack." Hannah said, pushing herself out of her seat with her hands on the table top. 

Lewis shot to his feet on the opposite side of the table. "Pack?" He spat, continuing to talk without waiting for an answer. "Would that be on the trip that you didn’t think was important enough for me to know about?" 

Hannah stopped in her tracks and faced Lewis. "I didn’t realize that I had to run my every move past you now." 

Lewis raised his eyebrows. "Don’t." He warned, his voice low. "You know that I would never be like that with you, but it would be nice to know when my girlfriend is going to be away for over a week." 

Hannah sighed, the anger that had flashed through her blood calming slightly and a feeling almost like defeat washing over her. "We can't keep doing this." 

Lewis did say anything for a moment, until Hannah turned to look at him. "I know." He admitted in a small voice. 

The arguments had been happening more and more frequently, ranging from screaming at each other to the more sedate pace that had overcome this conversation. 

They both knew what they had to do, neither willing to take the first step in fear of the pain and uncertainty. Until now. 

"Hannah." Lewis started, walking around the table to stand in front of the blonde. "I love you, I really fucking do, but-" 

Hannah nodded, tears springing to her eyes. She tried to hold them back with a deep breath before continuing Lewis' sentence for him. "This isn't working." 

Lewis shook his head. "You aren't in love with me anymore." 

"Nor you, with me." 

********** 

Smith was less than pleased that Ross was leaving again but he knew that he needed to go with Caff. The bond between the newest member of the office and Ross was as strong as Smith’s with Mark, they were as much brothers as them, maybe more considering they actually did grow up together. Blood didn’t make Mark and Smith closer than Ross and Caff any more than it would have made Hannah and Trott or Katie and Nilesy closer. 

Lewis had said it before, when they had all come back together after the attack. They might not be related but they had shared experiences and love for each other and what exactly was more familial than that? 

As much as his mother was his only real family, it was true that he counted those in the office as family too but not his father. Timothy Hulmes had slipped from Smith’s mind most of the time. The pain of the rejection from the man who helped bring him into the world had faded and Smith finally settled into a bored nonchalance about the man. 

“Are you coming to say bye?” Ross asked, as he finished shoving clothes into his bag and turned to Smith who was lounging on his bed. 

Smith practically pouted. “I don’t want you to go.” 

Ross turned his head away a little but Smith still caught the smile that had crossed his boyfriends face at his confession. “I’m going to miss you too.” Ross replied. “But I still have to go.” 

Smith sighed. “I know.” 

Ross dropped his bag to the floor and made his way back over to the bed where Smith lay, climbing atop on his hands and knees to reach the other man before sitting on his heels. “As cute as your ridiculous pouty face is,” Ross said, pinching one of Smith’s cheeks to accentuate the fact he was being childish. “You’re leaving too, and you arranged for that way before I decided to go off with Caff and Kim.” 

Smith huffed. “At which point you should have known it was a terrible idea. It was one of mine.” 

Ross shook his head. “You’re an idiot.” 

Smith pushed himself into a sitting position. “But I’m your idiot.” He countered with one of his utterly disarming crooked grins that always made Ross’ stomach drop in anticipation. 

Wasting no time, the dark haired man practically launched himself at Smith. Their mouths clashing before falling into a familiar rhythm of frantic kissing and wandering hands. 

The sound of something hitting a wall went unheard by the two men as Smith grabbed Ross by the upper arms and reversed their position, mouths still locked. 

********** 

“You don’t think they’re-“ Caff asked, making an obscene gesture. Kim screwed her face up but didn’t say anything, turning away from the young werewolf. “-Y’know-“ Caff said. “-Like, going at it.” He finished, punctuating the whole thing with an obscene facial expression and gesture. 

Kim spun around and held a hand up. “Yes, thanks Caff.” She said, cutting him off. “I do not need that mental image, thanks.” 

“But they probably are-“ 

“Oh my god, shut up!” Kim pleaded. 

Caff rubbed his hands together, uncomfortable with the silence. “So- how long are we going to wait?” He asked, not pausing for an actual answer. “I mean- wolves have like good stamina and-“ 

Kim slapped her hands over her ears and started to hum to herself, shooting Caff a death glare. The younger man just grinned at her. “Asshole.” Kim muttered, lowering her hands. “Look, I’m going to close my eyes and go through the portal and get him, okay?” 

“What if they’re at the point of no return?” 

Kim gaped at him. “Remind me why I let you join the pack again?” 

Caff sauntered over to her, throwing an arm around her shoulder. “Because I am awesome and you love me.” 

Kim shrugged his arm off and looked up at him, unimpressed. “Is that right?” 

Caff nodded enthusiastically. "I don’t know what you did without me." 

Kim opened her mouth to start a triad that she had probably said in some shape or form to him numerous times since meeting him, their friendship existing on a level much like Smith and Trott’s and involving a lot of sex jokes. As she took a breath to start her rant, Ross stumbled through the portal with a lazy smile plastered to his face. 

Kim sighed as Caff caught her eye and waggled his eyebrows. “If that isn’t post orgasm face, then I don’t know what is.” 

Ross simply slapped a hand across the back of his friends head lightly in reprimand. “Let’s go.” He muttered, striding down the hall towards where they would be making the portal and expecting the other two to follow him. 

Caff shot Kim a grin and followed after Ross, Kim merely rolled her eyes at the younger man but followed behind anyway. 

********** 

After a morning of dosing after his activities with Ross, Smith packed up this things and went to go meet Mark and Hannah in the common room. 

Both people in question were waiting for Smith when he arrived, Mark lounging on the large sofa whilst Hannah was repacking a bag of potions and ingredients. Smith raised a brow at Mark when he entered. 

Mark sighed. "This is the third time she has repacked that thing." He said. 

Hannah whipped her head up and regarded Mark. "I am standing right here, you know?" She grumbled. "And, if the bag isn't packed right and some of the more volatile ingredients mix then it could all explode. So excuse me, if I want to double check." 

Mark rolled his eyes and gestured to the woman. "We're going through one portal from the room next door. We're not taking the bloody thing to Mordor." Smith snorted a laugh but didn’t add a comment of his own as Hannah shot Mark a death glare, which in turn caused him to throw his hands up in surrender. "Okay, Okay." He conceded. "I'm sorry. I bow to your alchemy skills." 

"Better." Hannah commented, putting the last ingredient back inside the bag and securing the zip. "Shall we?" 

Smith held a hand towards the door to signify Hannah should go first, which she did with a nod. Once she had started to move, Smith followed behind and entered the room next door where he cast the spell to open a portal. 

Mark broke the silence as they exited the portal into a back alley. "What did you tell your mom about why you're going to be away for over a week?" He asked his brother, trying to take focus off Hannah who was acting a little strange in his opinion. 

Smith smiled. "Told her I was stopping at yours." 

Mark snorted. "Such a good job our moms haven't met then." 

Smith nodded. "Dude, I haven't even met your mom. I very much doubt my mom would be happy to meet yours though." 

Hannah scuffed the floor with her shoe, feeling uncomfortable with the conversation. "Well, I told my mom that I would be at Lewis'. What about you, Mark?" 

"Told her the truth. Kind of." He answered. Hannah threw him a questioning glance and so he continued. "Told her that I was going away with Smith for a week to do some alchemy training. She seemed to like the idea that I would be learning more magic stuff." 

Hannah sighed heavily. "I hate lying to my mom about this stuff. I can't imagine what it's like for you." She directed the second sentence at Smith. 

The man shrugged. "It's better that she doesn’t know about any of the magic stuff. She would only worry and she has enough of that as it is." 

Hannah smiled at him, tempted to tell him that he was a good son but stopping short from the look in his eye and the fact that it wasn’t really her place. Instead, she hiked the bag further up her shoulder and started walking down the alley. 

Dodging around bins, the three friends emerged from the mouth of the alley and looked across the street where a shop stood. 

The windows were shrouded in dark drapes and littered with small tables covered in dark tablecloths and displaying crystals, candles and, on one table, a pedestal with a large crystal ball. 

Smith rolled his eyes at the sign above the door. Mystical Crafts, written in some ridiculous scratchy font that was trying, and failing, to look like it was handwritten. 

The bell inside jingled as they entered and the whole place smelled strongly of a hundred or more different scents from the candles and various incense inside. 

Arlene had obviously been waiting for them, leaning against the counter and checking through some papers. She greeted the three with short hugs. "Thank you all so much for this." She said, gesturing around to the shop. "I really hate closing this place up and I've missed the last three equinox because I didn’t have someone to look after the place for me." 

Hannah smiled and set her bag down gently on the counter. "We're happy to help." She confirmed. "It's going to be great working in a proper lab that we haven't just thrown together ourselves, and Smith is a brilliant salesman." 

Mark nodded in agreement to the assessment of his brothers persuasive skills. "It's going to be fun."   
Arlene smiled at them all for a moment before glancing down at the watch on her wrist. "Right." She said. "Time for me to get out of here. I've left instructions on things at the counter and if you get really stuck with anything then you can use this-" She handed a small white crystal to Hannah. "-to contact me."


	24. Tomask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the plot keeps rolling

Kim stretched, her whole body arching off the sofa where she had been lounging. She let out a large yawn as she stretched before settling back against the cushions. 

Caff was still working on his transformations, his frustration so much like Ross’ had been at the beginning that she couldn’t help but smile. Ross talked him through it, giving him advise and tips that Caff must have heard a hundred times from all of them since arriving. Caff rolled his eyes at Ross as the door opened. 

“Relax, friend. You’re too wound up to transform. Gotta be relaxed.” 

Ross snorted a laugh at the dark look that Caff gave the new arrival and turned away to go sit next to Kim. The woman on her back, lifted up her legs. Ross sat and Kim let her lower legs fall back down, now stretched across Ross' thighs. 

“That’s alright for you to say. If you were any more relaxed about anything you’d be a puddle on the floor.” Caff countered, looking up at the tall bearded man. 

Tom had been at the O’Whelans’ when Caff, Kim and Ross had arrived. Rowan didn’t explain much about the man or where he was from aside from that he was certain that the beanie on the man’s head was someway fused to his skull as he had never seen him without it. The accent indicated the south of England but Tom was somewhat quiet when it came to talking about himself, instead steering the conversation skilfully elsewhere without anyone even noticing until hours later. 

It had even taken Ross a few days to realize what exactly he was doing and Ross had spent so much of his life having to analyze people that he came into contact with for fear of being mistreated that he rarely missed anything about people. Tom somehow effortlessly put people at ease whilst at the same time not revealing anything about his past. 

The bearded man simply shrugged at Caff’s critique and walked past him to go sit down in an armchair across from Kim and Ross, the ankle of his left foot resting on the knee of his right. 

Caff sighed heavily to himself. "It's impossible!" He complained, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Maybe I'm just too stupid to get it." 

Kim opened her mouth to reassure Caff but Ross held a hand out and she closed her mouth before any sound had even made it out. 

Caff avoided Ross' eyes for a moment, his head hung before Ross stood and made his way over to him, Kim once again lifting her legs to let him get up. "What have I said about this?" Ross asked, his voice almost a whisper. It was obvious that the others were not meant to hear the conversation but their nature made it almost impossible, their hearing was too good to be able to miss the hissed words between the two men in the middle of the room. 

Kim caught Tom's attention to try and steer the focus from Ross and Caff. "So." Kim said, struggling for a topic that might drown out her friends words. "Have you had any more thoughts on coming back to England?" She asked, pushing herself into a sitting position and sitting cross legged on the sofa instead of laying across it. 

Tom turned his head away from the direction of the two men in the middle of the room and instead focused his gaze on Kim. "Still deciding really." He admitted. "It's been a while since I have been back to England and the memories are not so fond that I find I miss the place." Tom explained. "But I am curious." 

Kim's lips curled into a smile at finally getting something out of the man. "Bad memories, huh?" 

Tom smiled back at her. "If you call getting turned into a mythical nightmare creature, losing everything you hold dear and almost murdering a bunch of people when you lost your temper bad memories then yeah, I suppose." He deadpanned. 

Kim's smile dropped and she took a breath to apologise, if there was anything that she understood it was the feeling of having your whole life ruined by something you couldn’t control. 

Tom shook his head. "Happened to us all, right?" 

"Yeah." Kim agreed. "Doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck though." 

Tom waited a beat before picking up the thread of conversation from before. "Like I said, I am intrigued. If it's okay with you guys I might tag along when you go back and check this office situation out." 

Kim nodded. "I have no problem with it. Honestly, I think you will fit right in but I do have to warn you that if you stay then you will be included in my pack." 

The bearded man threw a sideways look over to the other two men in the room who had now finished their conversation. Ross' arm slung around Caff's shoulder in a gesture that screamed brotherly protection and love. "I don’t think I would mind that in the slightest." Tom said, meeting Kim's eye. 

"That's enough practice for today." Ross said to Caff as they approached the others. "Tomorrow we wi-" As he was halfway through his sentence, Ross stopped and cocked his head to the side. Kim followed suit to listen, Ross turned to the door and Kim leapt to her feet as Katie and Sips burst through looking panicked with Rowan hot on their heels complaining loudly about kids these days not being polite. 

********** 

It had been days since they had arrived and Hannah had been quiet for the most part, unless it pertained to their shared work of making potions. Smith was content with Mark for company and he knew that should Hannah want to talk that she would, and pestering her about it would only lead to arguments that Hannah would almost certainly win. 

Mark was not as patient. "Hannah?" He asked, pausing in his chopping of some ingredient that Smith was having trouble identifying in its mangled state from Mark's ministrations. 

Hannah hummed a noise, indicating she was listening and for Mark to continue. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, all tact apparently lost. 

The woman didn’t even pretend that she didn’t know what the younger man was talking about. "No." She replied, pouring a red coloured liquid into the cauldron causing the mixture inside to turn a deep purple. 

Smith gave his brother a sidelong glance, watching as Mark began talking once more. "I think you're better off just friends anyway." Mark commented, keeping his eyes focused on the task of chopping roots in front of him. 

"You do, do you?" Hannah asked, her voice sharp. 

"Yeah. I mean, not that it's any of my business." Mark admitted. "But you guys don’t seem to be good for each other in a relationship way. You're both amazing and cool and whatever but some people just don’t gel, you know." 

Smith was practically holding his breath, just waiting for Hannah to explode into some kind of screaming anger. Instead, the blonde woman sighed heavily and stepped away from the potion she had been making. 

"We just-" She paused. "I love Lewis." She stated. "But loving someone and being in love with someone is something totally different and honestly, I'm not sure if either of us were ever actually in love with each other." She explained. 

"Never?" Mark asked, prodding to get the woman to talk some more. 

Using the hairband around her wrist, Hannah spent a moment pulling her long hair away from her face and into a ponytail whilst she thought about her answer. "I don’t think so." Turning to Smith she gestured to him. "You remember what it was like. We were just so excited to meet people who were like us and I had a crush and went with it." She said. "But once the excitement settled on that, I think we both kind of realised that maybe this wasn’t something that would last." 

"Why didn’t you end it then?" Mark asked, dropping the knife he had been using to the chopping board and wiping his hands on his jeans. 

"Embarrassment?" Hannah theorized. "Expectations?" She shrugged. "Honestly, I don’t know. And then everything just went to shit with the whole-" Hannah splayed her hands as if in explination. 

"When I got taken." Smith filled in. 

Hannah nodded. "After that, it was like 'we're lucky to be alive' and I thought that I was being selfish and stupid throwing what we had away." Hannah trained her eyes from her feet and up to Smith's face slowly, a guilty look marring her features. "And-" She sighed again. "You and Ross were-" 

Smith snorted in amusement. "Didn’t want to steal our dysfunctional thunder?" He asked, smirking. 

"It just felt like we both had to be this united front. It was like the rest of the office was looking to us for guidance and stability and that if we broke up that it would be letting you all down too." 

Smith rolled his eyes and strode over to the woman. "You are so dumb." He told her as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled him against his side. 

Hannah leant her head into his chest. "I know." She admitted. 

Smith huffed in amusement and pressed his mouth to the crown of her head for a moment. "Well at least you finally got over yourself." He teased. 

Hannah pushed away from him with her arm against his chest. "Arsehole." 

Smith nodded and grinned. "That’s me." 

"You really are going to have to tell me what the fuck actually happened at some point, you know." Mark said, piping up for the first time in a while. "Surely talking about it will help you guys heal or whatever." 

Hannah and Smith shared a questioning look, seeming to be asking the other if it would really help without actually saying anything aloud. "Couldn’t hurt?" Hannah said, shrugging her shoulders and looking to Smith for confirmation. 

A rapid banging on the door to the shop interrupted further talk. "Do people never read fucking signs?" Smith asked, turning towards the door. "Opening hours are clearly right in the centre of the door and-" 

"Hannah, Smith, Mark!" A voice from outside called, pausing the pounding on the door to shout before continuing and repeating the process again. "We have a fucking emergency!" The voice shouted, sounding out of breath. 

Smith jogged over, flicked the lock and wrenched the door open to find Duncan on the other side. 

The blonde man pushed past Smith, located the other two of his friends and then stopped to address them all. "It's happening again." 

Hannah shared a confused look with the others. "What's happening again, where's Duncan?" 

Smith shot Hannah a look. He had never been able to fathom how exactly she could tell when it was a clone or the real Duncan in front of her, even Kim had trouble with it some of the time. 

The clone was visibly shaking, Smith wasn’t sure if this was something new or if he had just not picked up on it before. "They have them all tied up and drugged and fuck know's what they're going to do." He panted. "You have to go rescue them." 

"Who has who tied up and drugged?" Mark asked. 

The clone whipped his head around, his blonde hair flying wildly around his face. "Jason and a load of others, they got into the office."


	25. Radio Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those outside of the office get a bit of an explanation

It had been an afternoon of spending time with her mother for Katie. They had risen early on one of the rare days off that her mother had arranged with her work and gone into town where they had talked and shopped and generally just caught up with each other for what felt like the first time in months.

Eventually though, the time came when her mother had to go into work after a panicked phone call from her assistant and Katie made her way home with a smile plastered to her face, her hands full with bags of newly purchased items and a plan to round off the rest of the day by spending it with Chris and her friends at the office. 

After putting away her new belongings, the redhead pulled open her wardrobe and lifted a foot to step inside when she froze. 

The portal was gone. 

Katie screwed her face up in confusion. Lewis said the portals had always been permanent unless he dispelled them. Not thinking much more of it except to reason that the portals had been up for almost two years and maybe Lewis hadn’t stretched so many to be open for so long before and that maybe he just hadn’t been able to test them this extensively. Katie pulled her phone out from the pocket of her black cardigan and scrolled to find Lewis’ number. 

Two more phone calls later and Katie was starting to get frustrated. Lewis, Trott and Dave were not answering, the calls ringing out and going to their answerphones. Katie sighed, they were more than likely playing some big game of something and couldn’t hear their phones. 

She scrolled through more names. 

**********

Sips answered his phone on the third ring after starring at the screen for a moment. He couldn’t even remember ever giving Katie his number, let alone having any contact with her outside of the office. 

“Hey, Katie.” He answered as he reached for a glass from the cupboard in front of him and ignoring the hissed. ‘Who’s Katie?’ from his mother, who passed him on her way to the living room. Sips merely rolled his eyes and ignored the woman.

“Sips, thank God you answered.” 

Sips balanced the phone on his shoulder with his ear pressed hard against it as he filled the glass with water. “What’s up?” He asked before taking bringing the glass to his mouth and taking a big gulp of the liquid. 

Katie sounded panicked. “My portal is gone and no one at the office is answering their phone.” 

“They’re probably just playing TTT.” He paused a moment. “Or having a massive orgy.” 

Katie huffed on the other end of the phone. “Dave didn’t even answer.” 

Sips’ brows furrowed. Dave always answered, his power making him able to see messages or phone calls even if he was balls deep in a game. “Maybe he was on the crapper.” 

“Can you just- Can you check your portal. I have a really bad feeling.” 

It was the desperation in her voice that halted Sips from criticizing her further. Instead he placed his almost empty glass on the counter in front of him before making his way up to his bedroom. “Okay, fine.” Sips said. “I’m sure it’s nothing, though.” 

“I know.” Katie admitted. “I know I sound paranoid but I have no way of getting over there to check, I ran out of knot grass last week and haven’t stocked up again yet so I can’t make a door myself.” She explained.

Sips took the stairs two at a time, arriving at his door barely thirty seconds later. He kicked the door shut behind him and pulled aside the decorative blanket on the wall that hid his portal to the office. 

The wall behind was blank. 

“Mine is gone too.” He told the woman on the end of the phone. 

“What the hell does this mean?” She asked, her voice picking up speed. “No one is answering and the portals are gone. What should we do? Should we go get Ross and the others?” 

Sips didn’t answer right away, instead he was rooting around in the bottom of his wardrobe, pulling out a box buried underneath a host of other boxes. “I’ll make you a door to come here, then we can figure out what to do, okay?” 

“Okay.” Katie agreed quietly. “I’ll see you in a few.” 

“Yeah, five minutes.” Sips said, pulling the phone away from his ear and hitting the end call button with one hand whilst the other picked out the ingredients he would need. 

*********

Sips was true to his word, barely four minutes after they had hung up the phone, a door appeared in a blank bit of wall in Katie’s room and she wrenched it open, hurrying through. 

The distance of the portal was something that Katie wasn’t used to and she staggered slightly as she reached the other end. Sips steadied her with a hand on her shoulder. “You okay?” 

Katie nodded. “Yeah, better now.” She said, indicating not just her recovery from the travel but also that she was no longer panicking and alone. “I think we need to go find Ross.” 

Sips nodded. “I think the O’Whelan’s aren’t too far from here.” He said. “I’ll have to scry them to find the exact location for the door.” 

“No need.” Katie said shaking her head. “I’ve seen exactly where it is from Ross’ memories.” She explained, for once glad of her power and its invasive implications. 

Sips merely gestured to his impromptu magic set up in invitation. “I’ll keep trying to call people in the office whilst you do that, just in case.” 

Katie nodded back at him, then started gathering ingredients. 

*********

“Let me do the talking, until we find them.” Katie instructed as she took the door handle and pulled it open, stepping through onto the grounds of a large looking estate. 

Sips paused to get his bearings, noting that they had come out of an exterior wall next to the front door of what could technically be described as a house but was much more of a mansion. Katie straightened her clothes and tried to still her fidgeting after reaching up and pressing the bell on the door. 

“Maybe we should have just called them first?” Sips said just before the door opened revealing a man in his mid to late thirties by Sips’ estimation. His dirty blonde hair was cut short to his head and he was barley taller than Sips whilst standing half a foot up inside the doorway. 

“Who are you and how did you get past the gate?” The man demanded in a thick Irish accent.

Sips expected Katie to balk at the sharpness of his tone and the clear threat that he was emanating towards them and went to step in front of his friend to shield her but she held an arm out and pushed him back aside gently. 

“Hi, Rowan.” She said. “Nice to meet you, we’re friends of Ross’. I’m Katie and this is Sips. It’s kind of an emergency, can we come in? Thanks.” Katie spoke without breath or waiting for an answer before she bodily pushed passed the man and into the house. 

Sips waited only a second before following, Rowans sigh and stepping aside taken as an invitation. 

“They’re in the parlor.” Rowan said, closing the door and turning to escort them but Katie was already off in the right direction with Sips hot on her heels. 

Rowan jogged a couple of steps to catch up. “Are all of you in their pack this rude?” He voiced. When he didn’t get an answer he sighed something that to Sips sounded suspiciously like ‘kids these days!

*********

Kim rose from the sofa as Katie and Sips entered the room. “What are you guys doing here?” She asked noting the worry marring Katie’s features. 

“It might be nothing.” The redhead started to say. “But. Both mine and Sips’ portals to the office are gone and we can’t get hold of anyone there.” 

Ross and Kim shared a look for a moment before Kim pulled out her phone, stabbed at the screen and held it to her ear. Ross strode over to Katie and enveloped her in a hug for a moment. “I’m sure it’s nothing.” He reassured. 

Katie nodded against his chest. “I hope so.” She muttered, taking a step back and out of his embrace. 

Kim swore. “Duncan isn’t answering.”

“Should we just make a door and go check?” Caff asked, looking around at his friends in turn who shook their heads. 

“What if-“ Kim silenced Katie with a look. 

“I am not willing to risk this being a ‘what if’ situation.” Kim asserted. “We treat this like an attack and we prepare and make a counter attack accordingly. If it turns out that we overreacted then I can live with that.” 

Ross, Katie and Sips nodded. 

“We need a plan.” Ross said, an arm on Katie’s shoulder to lead her to the table. The others followed and sat down, Ross assumed their legs were as wobbly as his felt at the prospect of another fight. 

Sips was the first to speak after a few moments of silence. “I say that we go to Ireland and pick up Hannah, Mark and Smiffy.” He suggested. “Then we door to somewhere near the office and a couple of us do recon. Hannah should be able to make some kind of communication spell or something for us to be able to keep in touch.” 

“I’ll get Clara and Cass.” Rowan said, speaking for the first time since they had all entered the room. “If you have been attacked then you might need the back up.” 

Kim looked up at Rowan with a small smile. “You don’t have to-“ She started to protest. 

Rowan chuckled. “Cass has been bending our ears about coming to visit this office of yours for months, why not make ourselves useful and visit at the same time.” Without waiting for an answer, the Irishman left the room in search of his wife and his niece. 

“I’ll come too.” Tom spoke up. “Always better to have more people with super sensitive senses when doing recon, right?” 

Ross nodded. “Thank you.” He said.

“Don’t mention it.” Tom brushed off the thanks and adjusted the beanie on his head. 

*********

Mark watched as all colour drained from his brother and Hannah’s faces. 

“No.” Smith insisted. “Jason is dead.” 

The clone shook his head rapidly. “He survived somehow, so did the shape shifter and that woman that could fly.” 

Both Hannah and Smith descended into a few moments of expletives. 

“How the hell did three of them take down the whole office?” Smith asked the clone. 

“It isn’t just three.” The clone answered. “He has more people, I saw at least four more that I didn’t recognize.” 

Hannah fell into a chair at the table and buried her face in her hands. “We can’t do this again.” 

“Yes we can.” Smith said, sitting in the chair next to her and putting an arm on her back, rubbing small circles. “But this time we finish it properly and make sure he can’t come back.” 

Hannah looked up at her friend. “Smith-“ She sighed, ready to make some kind of speech that Smith was sure he didn’t want to hear. Hannah was interrupted as she took a breath to start talking by the sound of the bell on the door indicating someone had entered the shop. 

“Shit.” Mark swore. “I forgot to lock it when he came in.” He said gesturing to the clone. “I’ll go deal with it.” He said, hurrying out into the shop. 

“Mark! Where are Hannah and Smith?” Kim asked as she and a group of others looked around the shop, Ross at their rear locking the door behind them. 

“In the-“ He said, pointing to where he had just come from and not finishing his sentence as Kim jogged past him and into the room he had indicated. 

Mark followed the group into the back room, watching as some of the worry and stress fell of his brothers’ face when he clapped eyes on Ross and strode over, wrapping the dark haired man in a tight embrace. “Thank fuck, you’re safe.” Smith said, pulling back and taking Ross’ hands in his face so he could look into his eyes.

Ross shook his head. “We might be, but we aren’t so sure about the others. What do you guys know?” He said, taking Smith’s hands into his own and pulling them away from his face but keeping hold of one and interlocking their fingers as he turned to the rest of the room.


	26. The Take Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How exactly do you get the drop on an office full of powerful magical people?

Turps pulled four cups from the cupboard above the sink and started spooning sugar into them as Lewis spoke. 

“She was right.” Lewis sighed, pulling one leg to his chest in his seat at the kitchen table. Duncan and Simon either side of him. 

Simon shrugged. “That’s not a criticism, Lewis. It just is.” 

Lewis sighed. “Feels like a failure.” 

Duncan scoffed. “Breaking up with someone who you aren’t in love with is not a failure. If anything it’s a good thing that you two didn’t keep this going for longer and ruin any chance of staying friends.” 

“Why did none of you tell me this before now?” Lewis whined. “It would have made things much easier.” 

“Like you would have listened.” Turps interjected as he placed two mugs on the table and then turned back to the counter for the remaining two before taking the last seat around the table. 

Lewis opened his mouth to defend himself but the look that Turps was giving him stopped him. It was really hard to lie to someone who could read your mind. Instead, he snorted an amused breath. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” 

“I’m always right.” Turps said, smirking. 

Duncan picked up the thread of conversation. “And it’s was the perfect time for it to happen.” He said. “You will have had a week away from each other to process this shit by the time she gets back and-“ 

Turps stopped listening to Duncan as panicked screaming and the flashing of images assaulted him. He closed his eyes against the cacophony of thoughts before they abruptly quietened and his head was clear once more. 

“-fucking around and keeping me company whilst-“ Duncan was still talking but Turps interrupted. 

“Did you guys hear anything just now?” 

The three men shook their heads. “Why? What did you-“ 

Turps held a finger up to silence Simon. 

There was an unfamiliar mind in close proximity but something was wrong with it. It was like it was working at double or triple speed, maybe more. Turps couldn’t keep up with it, it flashed by in a confusing mess of noise and colours and words that he couldn’t connect into anything even slightly coherent. “There’s some-“ 

Turps didn’t get to finish what he was going to say before the wind was knocked out of him and he was lay sprawled against the cold tiled floor, his legs tangled with Duncan’s and a pounding pain at the back of his head. 

Thinking like he was underwater, his brain fuzzy and slow from the blow, Turps tried to sit up. His head swam as watched a boy, no older than fifteen tightening some ropes around Simon and Lewis at impossible speed. 

A voice chanted words in Turps head, so fast that they sounded like a chipmunk. ‘Disable’, ‘Tie up’, ‘Last room’, ‘Please him’, ‘More power’, ‘Hurry, get the others.’ Faces flashed in the boys head. Jason, Thelma, Magnus and then his friends, tied up in their offices. Dave, Martyn, Sjin and Trott. 

Duncan kicked out and met Turps’ eyes as the boy wound rope around Duncan’s hands. ‘I can clone and take him out.’ Duncan thought, projecting the idea right into Turps’ mind. 

Turps shook his head and mouthed. ‘He isn’t alone.’ 

**********

Something was horribly wrong. 

Zoey could feel panic and terror from other areas of the office and shot to her feet. “Everyone, here, now!” She said, gaining the attention of the rest of the people in the common room with her. 

The tone of her voice brooked no argument as Fiona, Rythian, Panda, Nilesy and Zylus got up from their seats and made their way to the centre of the room. 

“Something is happening.” Zoey hissed. “We’re under atta-“ 

The boy coming for them bounced off the shield that Rythian threw up, his reflexes somehow even faster than the boy had been moving. 

The boy let out a shout of frustration and banged his fist against the bubble surrounding the group, his arm moving so rapidly that is was more invisible than even a blur to their eyes. 

Without a word, Zylus grabbed at Rythian’s wrist and extended his free arm to help strengthen the shield further. 

Zoey pressed her back into Fiona behind her, her eyes wide as the boy hammered on the shield with fists and feet, his super speed allowing him to attack from various positions in less than a second. 

When the boy spoke, it was like he was talking at double speed. “Let me in, now.” 

Fiona looked between all of her friends for some kind of reassurance. “What the fuck is happening?” 

Zoey, her hands shaking met Fiona’s eyes. “He’s already taken out the rest of the office. They’re all tied up or knocked out.” 

“What the fuck do you want?” Panda shouted at the boy. 

The boy scowled at him, slowing his speech so it was intelligible. “Lower the shield and I won’t hurt you.” 

Panda rolled his eyes and turned to the others, whispering. “Zylus, take the shield from Rythian.” He said. “Then on my signal, Zylus lower the shield and Rythian blast him before he can get to us.” 

The two men in question nodded, but the boy on the outside spoke again. “Alright, you asked for it.” 

He was gone barely a half second, returning with Trott held in front of him, a knife at the brunette’s throat. “Drop the shield or he loses his head.” 

They didn’t really have a choice.

*********

Trott fell to the ground as the boy pushed him away after the shield fell. He watched from his position on the floor as the others were tied up and gagged in a matter of seconds by the boy. 

Twisting his body, Trott managed to get onto his back and used the sofa to prop himself up in a sitting position with his hands still tied behind his back and the gag tied around his mouth digging painfully into the back of his head where the knot was tied tightly. 

After a moment, the boy left only to return with more of his friends, rounding all the bound and gagged people up and placing them in chairs around the room. 

“It’s clear!” The boy shouted, poking his head out of the door to the common room and walking back inside to survey his work with a look of satisfaction. 

“Well done, Eddie.” A voice praises from the doorway. Trott didn’t have to turn to know who the voice belonged to, his stomach churning and his breathing picking up before he even laid eyes on Jason. “Look at all of you.” Jason laughed. “Not so tough now, are you?” 

Jason made the rounds, looking at each person in turn as the rest of them entered the room. 

Trott recognised Thelma, with her short stature and distinctive pixie cut. He also recognised Magnus, the shape shifter that had been trying to take out Hannah and Kim as Trott lay bleeding out on the floor during the last battle. 

The four others he did not recognise, although the couple who brought up the rear looked vaguely familiar in some way but Trott couldn’t put his finger on exactly why, something about them ringing bells in his still dazed mind. 

“Ahh, there you are!” Jason remarked, his eyes landing on Trott. “I was surprised to hear that my gutting of you was reversible.” He continued, advancing on Trott. 

Trott tried to slow his breathing, not wanting to give Jason the satisfaction of seeing the fear coursing through him. 

“How cute.” Jason said, his voice mocking. “Trying to be so brave in front of your friends.” He said, reaching down and pulling Trott to his feet before slamming him back down on a chair next to Turps. “It won’t last long. I intend to break each and every one of you before I’m finished with you.” 

Trott met Jason’s eyes with as much hate as he could convey, feeling like his eyes were burning in rage. The man merely looked back, seemingly amused. 

“Bella.” Jason called, turning to one of the people Trott didn’t recognise. “Take that one,” He instructed, pointing at Lewis. “-and shut down the portals. I would prefer we do this without any interruptions.” 

The woman, Bella, approached Lewis and crouched down to his level. “You’re going to come with me and do exactly what I say, when I say it.” The unmistakable ripple of magic suffusing her words in some way. 

Lewis’ face which previously had been scrunched up with his eyes narrowed suddenly relaxed and he nodded slowly. 

“Good lad.” Bella winked and spun Lewis’ chair to untie him. “You can take the gag off.” 

Lewis’ movements were fluid as he stood up from his chair and removed his gag with calm, smooth hands. His eyes glazed over, starring unfocused at nothing in the middle distance. 

Horror filled Trott’s eyes as Lewis carried on following the woman’s instructions. Jason laughed at Trott. “She is quite something, isn’t she?” He said watching the woman leave. “Quite the interesting power she has.”   
Trott flinched as Jason reached out, taking the back of the office chair that Trott was sitting on in his hand to manoeuvre him into a space between Zylus and Rythian. 

“It really is a shame I had to do this whilst Rutherford and Richards are away, I would so much like to have heard their screams today.” Jason said, reaching around and ungagging Trott. “I suppose I will just have to settle for yours, again.” 

“What the fuck do you want?” Trott spat. 

“Besides making you all suffer for what your little fire starter did to me?” Jason asked, holding his arms out for Trott to see more clearly. Burns covered the skin, shiny scar tissue that still held an angry pink colour even after so much time. “I want the belt.” 

“We don’t have it.” Trott answered. 

Jason looked surprised. “That’s it? No, ‘and we wouldn’t tell you even if we did?’ I’m disappointed Mr Trott.” Trott didn’t respond and so Jason continued. “There is also the score to settle of you killing my friends.” 

“They got what they deserved.” Trott said back, meeting Jason’s impossibly green eyes. 

Jason growled as Trott’s head snapped to the side, his cheek burning and stinging from a blow he hadn’t seen coming from the redheaded woman in the room. “Murdering scum!” She spat. “My sister did not deserve to die!” 

“Now, now Penny.” Jason chided. “Your sister was a sadistic, brutal woman and we all loved her dearly but I made it very clear that I will be the one to inflict pain on these sad excuses for mages.” 

The woman looked for a moment like she would argue but instead took a breath. “I apologise, Jason.” She said. “I lost myself for a moment.” 

Jason nodded at her. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again or you may find yourself in their positon, am I understood?” 

The woman nodded frantically and stepped back towards the door. “I’ll go check the rest of the rooms, ensure they are all empty.” 

*********

It was like an out of body experience. Lewis watched as his body did as the woman commanded, going from room to room and expelling all the portals whilst Bella poked around the rooms for anything interesting she could find. 

No matter how hard he tried, it was like there was a layer of bullet proof glass between his mind and the control of his body. No amount of strained thinking could get his body to stop complying with Bella’s orders, even going so far as to answer questions that she asked without thought. 

“I didn’t realise you were all so young, the way he speaks about you all. I thought you would all be these seasoned warriors, not children.” 

“Most of us are of age.” It was his voice that spoke, his mouth that opened but it was not his mind that told his body to do it. 

Bella snorted a laugh. “Of age.” She said in a mocking tone. “You’ve barely lived and he’s going to kill you all.” She said, picking up one of Kim’s Final Fantasy figures from her shelf. “It would be a shame really, if the stakes weren’t so high. The things we could do with that belt though.” She shook her head and placed the figure back on the shelf. “We’re going to rule the magic community, maybe the non-magical too, it’s going to be fun.” 

Lewis followed her out of the room after a mumbled ‘come on, not many more to go now’ from the woman in front of him.


	27. Family ties

Jason turned his attention away from Trott as Bella and Lewis re-entered the room. 

“Done.” Bella informed him, leading Lewis back to his seat. “Sit.” She instructed. “Good doggy.” 

Jason smiled at her. “Always a joy to watch you work, my dear Bella.” He praised before standing in front of Lewis. “So then, I’ve been told that you are the leader of this-?“ He paused, looking for the right word but falling short. 

Lewis said nothing, until Bella commanded that he answer Jason’s questions. “Yes.” Lewis answered, his voice flat and lifeless. 

“And you do not know where the belt is?” 

Zylus held his breath as Lewis answered ‘no’ letting the air flow steadily out of his nose to not raise suspicion. It seemed to the Dutch man that there were limitations to Bella’s gift, making Lewis answer in the simplest way possible and leaving out the fact that whilst Lewis or any of them in the building might not know where the belt was, they did in fact have ways of finding and procuring it if they so wished. 

“I have also been told that your mutts are currently in Canada, visiting some other traitors to their breed. Is this correct.” 

“Yes.” Lewis answered. 

Jason smirked. “And they’re not due back for days, neither is your girlfriend or that worthless murderer.” He added. “Such a shame they won’t be back in time to save you, isn’t it?” 

“I do not have a girlfriend.” Lewis said, his eyes unfocused on the man in front of him.

Jason pulled a chair up and sat in front of Lewis, angling himself so that Lewis’ eyes met his. “What a difference a few days makes.” Jason remarked. “Just a couple of days since the last contact with my insiders and you go and break off the romance of the century.” He tutted. “And here I hoped that I would be able to witness the utter devastation on Rutherford’s face when she came back and saw the mangled corpse of her one true love.” He shrugged. “Shame. But never mind. I’m sure that playing with Mr Trott here will do, it was so much fun watching them panic when I stabbed him.” 

The man that Zylus didn’t recognise cleared his throat and gained Jason’s attention. “I believe I have a plan that will get us- I mean you- the belt.” He announced. 

Jason pushed himself up from the chair and nodded. “At least one of you is using their brain.” Jason said. “Magnus, drug them.” He directed. “The rest of you come with me and we will hear Tim’s plan.” 

The group nodded. “Eddie, would you tie him up again for me please sweetheart?” Bella asked the boy. 

Eddie blushed slightly as the attention from the woman and did as he was asked, Bella released Lewis from her power as she left the room causing the dark haired man to sag in his seat for a moment before looked around confused. 

Zylus watched as Magnus retrieved the case from by the door once the others had left, turning his back on the group and pulling out needles and some kind of orange substance that Zylus immediately recognised as the compound that Smith had been injected with back at the house in America. 

A flashing out the corner of his eye caught Zylus’ attention and he turned his head towards the TV that was between the line of friends and Magnus. 

Words started appearing on the TV, a quick look to his left and Zylus saw Dave looking intently between Lewis, Duncan and Simon. 

Magnus was still filling syringes with the orange substance as Dave’s plan flashed across the screen. 

‘Simon – Shapeshift to distract him. Duncan – Make a clone outside of your bonds. Lewis – Make a portal for the clone to get help then dispel it.’ Dave met each person’s eye in turn, sharing nods and then gesturing with his head back to the screen. ‘This is our only chance, we cannot be caught.’

The screen snapped back to black as Magnus turned back towards them with a clutch of needles in one hand. He approached Fiona, sitting on the side closest to the door first. A prepped needle being transferred from the clutch to his free hand. 

Simon grunted loudly as he shifted, the sound starting loud and low but morphing into a high pitched mewl as he shrank down and out of his bonds. 

The ginger tabby that had been in Simon’s seat hissed at Magnus, its hair standing on end. 

Magnus swore and placed all but one needle down, brandishing the last like a dagger as he stepped closer to Simon. 

Simon leapt down and between the man’s legs, making a beeline for the sofa along the back wall. 

‘Now!’ The screen flashed to life one more. 

Duncan screwed his face up in concentration, a second Duncan falling to the floor next to him. Lewis’ bonds strained as he twisted his hands, a swirling midnight blue oval appearing on the floor. With one look to his maker, the clone rolled to the side and fell through. 

The portal snapped out of existence as the cat screamed in pain, the needle sticking out of one of its hind legs that rapidly grew until Simon was once again back in his original form. “Holy fuck, you shitlord. That really fucking hurt!” He shouted just before Magnus’ booted foot connected with his face with a resounding crunch of cartilage. 

*********

Zoey wasn’t sure how long she had been out. The last thing she could remember was Jason returning to the room and having Eddie go around and drug them all. 

Opening her eyes was like fighting against a tide, once open all they wanted to do was sink shut again, not just due to the drugs coursing through her system but to stop her being able to see the atrocities playing out in front of her. It wouldn’t have stopped the sounds though. 

Rythian was unconscious, blood pouring from a wound in his head and bruises already blossoming across his skin, Zoey concluded that he had already been interrogated and that Jason had moved on to Trott who sat in front of him with his gag removed. 

Bella approached him. “You will speak only the truth.” She instructed with a smirk that sent chills down Zoey’s spine. 

Trott flicked his hair out of his eyes with a shake of his head and sniffed, a thin stream of blood trailing down from his nose, over his lips and into his scrubby stubble. 

Jason watched Trott for a minute, not saying anything as Trott tried to stare him down. “I see you haven’t lost your spirit. Yet.” Jason said. 

Trott’s lips twitched slightly. “They’re going to come for us, you know.” 

Jason’s eyebrows raised. “I have no illusions that they won’t.” He said. “But they’ll be too late and you will all be dead by then.” 

“Smith told me, you know.” Trott said. “What it felt like when he had you under his power.” Jason stayed silent. “He told me how good it felt to lift you off the floor by your neck and know that if he tightened his grip that it would end you. How good it felt to know that he could kill you and that he held your life in his hands and you were totally at his mercy.” 

The blow was expected. Probably what Trott had been hoping for, Zoey thought as he went limp in his seat. 

With a shake of his head, Jason scooted the chair to the left to sit in front of a terrified looking Zylus. 

“Ahh, if it isn’t our own little traitor.” Jason said, ripping the gag from around Zylus’ mouth. “How about we have a talk in private?” He asked, standing. 

The rest of the room struggled against their bonds as Jason dragged Zylus to his feet and pushed him out of the room, Zylus twisting and protesting the whole way. 

The screams from the other room carried through the wall, Zoey couldn’t keep her sobs hidden as Zylus screamed and begged, yet gave nothing of importance away to their captures. 

Her power was going haywire, the drug designed to supress it somehow not doing its job. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the nature of her power, the dose or simply it mixing with the stress of the situation. It could have been any of them, or all, or something else entirely. 

She floated between states of her own utter terror that was stronger than anything she had ever experienced, to feeling so many contradicting feelings all at one. 

Joy radiated from somewhere as fear and hunger assaulted her. Feelings of freedom and contentment mixing with disgust and terror. A barrage of every emotion she had ever experienced crashing through her with the violence of a train crash. 

Zoey’s body convulsed as disjointed sensations swirled, the chair beneath her bumping into Fiona’s next to her before a harsher tremor sent her lurching forward, the chair toppling and her face slamming into the carpeted floor before the world went black and she knew no more. 

*********

Trott came to slowly, his head lolling on his neck as the past few hours came back him. Looking around he saw that Jason was not in the room, neither was Zylus. Zoey was on the floor, unmoving with her chair awkwardly still tied to her back. 

The man, Tim and woman, Penny were still in the room talking in whispers near the door. 

Trott swallowed. “Can you at least get her off the floor?” He said, voice cracking. 

The woman turned. “I doubt you showed anything like that kind of compassion for my sister.” She replied, folding her arms across her chest. 

“No.” He answered, cursing internally that the magic Bella had cast was still in effect. “But we didn’t want to kill anyone. We didn’t ask to be targeted. This all started because Jason took our friend and your sister decided that she wanted to be a part of that.” 

The man huffed. “And the others you murdered?” He asked. “Our other friends? Leif, Isabelle, Nisse, Aiden? All an accident was it?” 

Trott sighed. “Jason did this.” He insisted. “He has always been the one instigating fights that get others killed.” 

Penny’s lips lifted into a smile. “Would you like to know a secret, little boy?” 

Trott’s stomach sank, somehow knowing that the next thing out of the woman’s mouth would devastate him. 

“Penny.” The man warned, voice low. 

She shook her head. “No, Timothy.” She replied. “He should know exactly what sort of people he defends.” 

Tim turned away but didn’t stop the woman continuing. 

“Your brother and father were responsible for the deaths of almost twenty people. Did you know that?” She asked. 

“No.” Trott answered, voice flat as the spell compelled him to answer with the truth. 

“A whole family of werewolves, Zylus’ parents, my younger brother and an older sister and many others besides. All of them my friends or family.” She approached Trott, her steps even. “But I take some solace in the fact that it was my family that took them out.” 

Trott’s eyes widened. “Rachel was so magnificent.” She sighed. “Older siblings usually give you that impression though, don’t they?” Penny laughed, an ugly, high pitched sound. “It was with great pleasure that I took out your father, and the fun just kept coming as I was tasked with chopping him into all those teeny tiny pieces.” 

“That’s enough, Pen.” Tim said, coming to stand next to the woman as Trott tried to stop his emotions showing on his face. 

“Don’t, that’s enough Pen me!” The redhead said, spinning around to confront the man. “His family and his little group of friends and their families have been ruining everything for me since the day I was born!” She rambled. “Getting all the powers that should be rightfully ours, our lineage the most pure and yet what do we get for a son?” She asked. 

“Our son is powerful, he just doesn’t apply himself-“ The man started. 

“Our son is a social outcast with no backbone thanks to your ferrying us around for his whole life.” She snapped back. “Perhaps you should have abandoned us like your eldest, he seems to have gotten on a lot better without your influence if his murdering of my sister is anything to go by.” With that, the woman stormed out of the room, leaving the man standing in front of Trott whose mind was whirring from the new information.


	28. Stand off

“Silencing and alarm wards are still active.” Hannah said as she rounded the corner to where the others waited. “They must have got in through a portal or something, right into the building to bypass them.” 

“How the fuck would they get in? Lewis is the only one who can make portals directly in there, isn’t he?” Smith asked. 

Hannah shrugged. “That was what we thought, yeah.” She answered. “But it could have been some kind of new magic maybe.” She hypothesised. “Something we overlooked, maybe?” 

“I don’t like all these maybes.” Ross commented with a dark look. 

Hannah fidgeted with her bag for a moment. “I think we’re just going to have to go in blind and deal with whatever we find in there.” 

“We’re all with you.” Clara reassured the group as the others of her family nodded. 

Ross looked between Katie, Caff and Mark. “We shouldn’t all go in together.” 

Smith caught Ross’ look between the younger ones in the group and nodded. “Mark, Cass, Caff and Katie. You guys should stay here.”

Katie huffed. “Look, I get that I don’t have your fighting experience or an active power but leaving me out here like a child that needs protecting is frankly insulting and I won’t do it.” Ross shook his head, Hannah backing him up with a resounding no. “You don’t get a say in this.” She told them both. “I am not staying behind whilst you are all in danger again, I am not leaving Chris in there with that fucking monster and just waiting to see if you make it out alive this time.” 

Mark opened his mouth to say something but Smith cut him off. “You are not going in there.” He said, his voice firm. 

Kim glanced at Caff for a moment. “Fine.” She said. “Katie is with us, but Mark and Caff stay here with Tom. You guys are back up, if we haven’t contacted you in ten minutes then you come in after us.” 

Ross rounded on Kim but she held her hand up. “We don’t have time for arguments.” Turning to Katie she spoke again. “You stay at the back and do everything we tell you to.” 

Katie nodded in agreement and held her hands out as Hannah shoved some vials towards her. “You get into trouble, you throw the blue one, hold your breath and run like hell.” Hannah instructed with a hard look at her friend. 

“I’ll stay here with the others, Cara will come with you. She is much better at sneaking than I am.” Rowan told Kim, deferring command to the Alpha of the group. 

“Thanks.” Kim said, watching as Hannah fixed the flyaway strands of her hair so it stopped falling into her eyes. “If you have to come in then I want you to lead the charge, keep them safe.” 

Rowan bent himself at the waist, bowing slightly in respect and acknowledgment of her orders. Kim slapped a hand onto his bicep. “Thank you.” 

**********

Kim had never noticed how quiet the building was with their wards in place. The corridors and entryway almost completely silent but for the buzzing of the halogen lighting and the occasional noise leaking from outside, the cry of sea gulls or a car alarm. 

Once they arrived outside the door that lead to their offices Ross shifted, forgoing the usual undressing and simply kicking off the tatters of the garments once he was on all fours. Kim pushed the door open a crack and paused.

She counted off her friends’ scents in his head, cataloguing them and noting their general location was at least all together and that they hadn’t been split up. Next, she identified those others that she could. Jason, Magnus and Telma. A few more distinct scents of people she had never smelled before. 

They waited for Ross to push the door open wider before the rest of them entered behind him, all of them glad for the ugly carpet tiles that muffled their footsteps, especially the clicking of Ross’ nails. 

Kim hated how familiar this felt. How her senses were on such high alert and how her stomach churned in fear of what she was about to walk into. Hannah didn’t seem to be doing much better, her face paler than it had been just moments before when they were outside. 

Hyperaware, Kim took in everything around her. The way that Katie was breathing, just a little sped up but she was obviously trying to control it. The way that Smith clenched and un-clenched his fist and an unmistakable heat that was rolling off him in waves. 

Ross stopped them short of the common room and motioned to it with his snout. Kim nodded, whispering to the group. “They’re in there.” She confirmed. “We have one shot at surprising them and we have no idea of their positions so be careful.” 

Kim pointed at Ross, Smith and Katie. “You take this door, the rest of you with me.” She whispered, dropping to her belly on the floor and starting to crawl past the door, her body just lower than the window set into the wood. 

Hannah, leading up the rear was almost past when the door opened.

**********

Smith didn’t wait to act. Throwing the boy that had emerged so that he crashed against a wall with enough force to knock him out at the same time that the others surged forwards and through the doorway as soon as it was unoccupied. 

Ross roared from inside the room and Smith ran forwards to enter, tripping over Hannah’s form that was sprawled just inside, a plume of smoke obscuring the room from the presumably broken vials that she had, had in her hands when she entered. 

“Welcome home, Children.” Jason greeted, his voice slightly distorted behind the bubble of shield charm that held him, a woman that Smith didn’t recognise and another man that stopped Smith in his tracks as his friends around him secured the rest of their foes. 

Ross had Magnus pinned to the floor, the man having tried to turn into his eagle form as Ross had leapt for him, the wolf standing with his front paws pinning the birds’ wings to the floor as it screeched into his face. 

Cara stood over a knocked out Telma who was just short of being included in the bubble of protection. 

The other captive in the room, an auburn haired woman that somehow seemed familiar to Smith, was being held against the wall by their own redhead. Katie bared her teeth, the hand not wrapped around the woman’s throat reaching down to the desk and holding up a needle full of an orange substance that Smith recognised immediately. “Struggle and I dose you.” Katie threatened, holding the point of the needle barely a centimetre from a strip of skin just below where Katie’s hand held her. 

**********

“Mom?” 

The call came from the door where Mark and the others were entering. Kim was cradling Hannah in her arms, the blonde didn’t look too good, blood pouring from her head and her face a mass of bruises. 

“Markus!” The woman called back, Katie still with her hand wrapped around the woman’s throat. “Help me!” She begged. “They’re going to hurt me and your father.” She continued. “They murdered your aunt Aubree and they’re going to do the same to us.” 

“I don’t understand. What’s going on?” Mark asked, looking between his mother, father and brother in turn. 

“You don’t get to speak.” Katie threatened the woman, the needle in her hand steadily held just a couple of millimetres from her skin. 

“Every-“ Mark stuttered. “Everyone, put your weapons down.” He said, looking around the room at both his friends and the others. “Or, I’ll-“ He paused. “I’ll cut off all your senses.” 

“Mark.” Smith spoke, slowly trying to approach his brother. “Please, Hannah is really hurt, Trott doesn’t look too good and Zylus-“ 

“Stop, Alex.” Mark warned. “I don’t want to have to-“ 

Smith halted his movement and held his hands up. “Okay, we can talk about this. There’s no need to do anything rash.” 

The woman against the wall let out a bitter laugh. “Rash? Like burning my sister alive?” She spat. 

Smith closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and swallowing. “Please, Mark. We can explain everything, but we need to make sure none of these injuries are life threatening and-“ 

“If you really want to know the truth, Markus then you’re talking to the wrong people.” Jason interjected. “Come here and Bella will explain everything.” 

Mark looked towards the bubble where Jason, Bella and his father stood. His friends, still tied and gagged struggled against their restraints and tried to shout through their gags at him. Mark turned back away. “Take their gags off.” Mark said, looking towards his brother who was the only other unoccupied person in the room. 

Smith didn’t move from his position, instead he nodded before he flicked his hands and the material fell from around his friends mouths. 

Trott was the first to speak. “Don’t look at Bella, she has some kind of mind control power.” 

“Is that how you did this?” Smith asked, looking Jason in the eye. “Mind control?” 

Jason smirked. “Among other things.” He said. “Your brother was particularly helpful, as was the little wolf.” He said gesturing to Caff. 

Caff shook his head. “I have never seen you before in my life, you lying bastard.” 

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Not that you remember.” He clarified. “With a little push from Bella, you were more than willing to help us gather all the information we could need to take this little club.” Jason gloated. 

Kim rocked Hannah in her arms, the blonde still unconscious, whispering something too quiet for Smith to make out the words but that sounded suspiciously like pleading from the smaller woman. 

Smith’s eyes darted around the room trying desperately to come up with some kind of plan in the seconds that he had before he knew that his father would try and get Mark on side again. 

It was with a wrenching in his gut that he noticed the two syringes on the table included in the bubble where Jason stood. Two syringes but three people, Smith tested his power as inconspicuously as he could and had to fight a sigh of relief when he was able to lift them through the shield. 

“Now, Mark.” Jason continued. “Stop all this ridiculousness and help your family. Soon I will have the belt from these idiots and the whole world will be at our feet and you will be a big part of that.” 

Mark met his father’s eyes. “Is that what this is about? More power?” He asked, voice cracking slightly. 

“Of course it is!” It was his mother that spoke. “Power is the only thing that matters in this world, son. You know this.” She said. “Just imagine, all the things we could do. The respect our family is due will finally be given, we can undo the failings of the past and take our rightful place in the world.” 

Smith held his breath as he split his power, lifting the two syringes and taking control of Katie’s hand at the same time. The syringes plunged into their targets and the shield went down as Mark took a step away from his mother and apologised, to who or about what Smith wasn’t sure. 

Three bodies dropped to the floor, the fourth leapt forward. The ripping of fabric and cracking of bones rending the air as Jason transformed and leapt forwards at the closest target. 

Kim’s scream turned into a roar as she changed, bounding across the room to where Jason had Katie in his maw. Ross was already on him, his jaws clamped on the back of Jason’s neck. 

Smith couldn’t get a good look in to help, his hand held out to throw Jason away but being obscured by the thrashing of him, Katie and Ross all at once, redirecting his power he caught Trott just before he was about to jump into the fray, pulling the smaller man away as he screamed and struggled with everything he had.


	29. The right hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to the amazing Han AKA Letgoofmygreggo for the help with this one. You rock, Han. Love ya millions! xx

Katie could do nothing but scream as Jason wrenched her from side to side. Fur seemed to encase her as Ross and Kim leapt in to the fray, trying with everything they had to pull Jason away from Katie. 

Jason let out a yelp as Ross bit down on the back of his neck, opening his mouth enough that Katie’s arm moved in his mouth, when he clamped back down it was with fresh new pain ripping open new wounds near her wrist. 

The noise was overwhelming, more so than the pain that had reached a point of almost numb agony in Katie. The heat of Jason’s breath washed over her arm in booming pants, the metallic tang of her own blood filling her nostrils. 

“I’ve already cut his senses off, I don’t understand!” Mark’s panicked shouts were only just audible over the wolves still all over Katie. “He won’t be able to feel anything!” 

“Give him back his touch.” Smith shouted. “Let him feel the pain so he lets go.” 

She wasn’t sure what it was that made her do it. Later she would think about it and analyse it and flip between it being the only way and it being the stupidest thing she could have done. With a blood curdling scream she wrenched her arm backwards, struggling against Jason with everything she had. When that didn’t work to free her, she did the only thing she could with her power. 

She shared it.

*********

The sickening sound of bones crunching rent the air as Ross seemed to finally get a good enough grip on Jason’s scruff and pull him off Katie. 

The large black wolf didn’t struggle as Ross wrenched him away from his friend, instead seeming to be having some sort of fit as he convulsed weakly in Ross’ jaws. 

Jason’s eyes opened and rolled up in his head as he shook, his bones shifting and moving back into their human form. His fur seemed to retract back into his body as his elongated snout shrank down. After a few moments the man lay sprawled on the floor, his body covered in wounds, the most serious of them deep tears at his throat that gushed forth blood into the floor. 

Smith rushed over to where Katie was lay, falling to his knees along with Trott, the blood surrounding the girl seeping into the denim of his jeans. 

The mangled mess of Katie’s right arm caused bile to rise in Smith’s throat as Trott propped the barely conscious woman up. 

The stump where her hand should have been was losing blood fast and from the look that Fiona was giving him from where she had crawled to his side, she didn’t have the power to fix it. “They drugged me.” Fiona confirmed. “I can’t feel my power.” She seemed to be pleading with Smith with her eyes, as if he had the answer to her being able to get her powers back. 

Smith shook his head. “It wears off after five or six hours.” 

Tears streaked down Fiona’s face. “She doesn’t have five or six hours.” 

Trott looked desperately around. “We need to get her to a hospital.” 

Fiona shook her head again. “She’s lost too much blood, Chris. Unless we stop the bleeding in the next couple of minutes-“ 

“No!” Trott screamed back. “There must be something!” He sobbed, rocking Katie back and forth. 

“It’s okay.” Katie said, her eyes barely able to focus on his face above her. “You’re all okay.” She said, seeming to take solace in the fact that the others didn’t seem to be terribly hurt. 

Trott shook his head at her, sniffing back his tears. “We’re not okay.” He said, trying to smile at her. “Not without you.” 

“Cauterise it.” 

Smith hadn’t even noticed Ross, back in his human form standing over them. 

Fiona nodded. “Yes.” She said. “If you can stop the bleeding and she survives the shock then-“ 

“Potions.” Trott interjected. “Hannah must have a stash somewhere and if not here, Arlene’s” 

Fiona jumped to her feet. “I’ll grab everything I can, keep her conscious until I come back.” 

“I’ll need something metal, thick and at least as big as my hand.” Smith instructed, trying to psych himself up for exactly what he was going to have to do. 

*********

Kim took the jacket that Duncan offered her, the material long enough to fall almost to her knees. She tried to ignore the group gathered around Katie, knowing that she would do nothing but get in the way. She still had Jason to deal with and she wasn’t going to risk him getting away. 

“He’s going to bleed out.” Cara said as Kim approached. “Ten minutes, maybe.” 

Something inside Kim screamed at her that she should be ashamed of the next words out of her mouth but it didn’t stop her muttering them. “Good, tie him up and leave him.” 

Cara shared a look with Rowan for a moment but nodded, using some of the rope that had been used previously on Kim’s friends to tie up the unconscious man and subsequently drag him into a corner of the room, as far away from Katie as possible. 

“We should tie the others up too, before they come to.” Cass suggested. With a nod from Kim, she and Tom began the task of hauling Eddie, Telma, Magnus, Bella, Penny and Tim into chairs and tying them down. 

Kim caught sight of Fiona running back into the room with Zylus. “We need to move her to the lab.” Fiona said to the others on the floor as she fell back down to her knees to check Katie’s condition after the minute or so she had been out of the room. 

“Keep close watch on him.” Kim commended Caff, gesturing to Mark. 

“I didn’t-“ Mark started, trying to protest against the accusation. 

Kim growled, baring her teeth and with her eyes flashing a dangerous gold for a moment. “Do not make me regret not drugging you.” She warned in a low voice. 

Mark’s head bobbed in a nod and his mouth closed against whatever he was going to say next. Instead he stepped away from the small woman and towards where the rest of their friends gathered away from Katie. 

Kim fell to her knees next to Trott and behind where he held Katie against his side. Kim’s arm wrapping around Trott’s shoulders in a show of solidarity and comfort. “What’s the plan?” She asked, meeting Ross’ eyes from where he knelt across from her. 

Smith wet his lips. “We can’t put her hand back.” He started. 

Fiona took over, her steady voice calming something inside Kim. “Smith is going to cauterise the wound so that she doesn’t bleed out and then we’re going to administer a load of energy and blood replenishing potions along with some pain relief.” She explained. “The- Ross said that wolf wounds heal faster the first time, so the combination of the potions and that should get her through the next few hours until I have my powers back.” 

“Should?” Kim asked, keeping her eyes fixed away from Trott. 

Fiona just nodded. “You are Ross are going to have to hold her down, you’re the strongest people here. The important thing is to not let her pull her arm away from Smith until it’s done.” 

Kim took shallow breaths, angling herself so she could look at Trott. “You shouldn’t stay for this.” 

“I’m not going anywhere.” He said, meeting her eyes with a cold fury that made even the wolf inside Kim balk. 

*********

Lewis was talking to the group when Mark approached, with a short look at Mark he gestured for him to come closer. 

“We need to figure out what we’re going to do with them.” Lewis said, pointing towards where their captives were gathered.

“I’m all for maiming, anyone else up for some maiming?” 

Lewis narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. The tall bearded man’s face gave nothing away as he met Lewis dark eyes. “What kind of maiming are we talking here?” Lewis asked, trying to gauge if the man was in any way serious about his question. 

“Just some friendly sharp poking with something jagged, nothing fatal.” The man replied, his voice still a flat monotone. 

Lewis raised a brow. “How do you feel about not sharp and most definitely rusty?” 

“Now you’ve piqued my interest.” He replied. “I’m Tom, by the way.” He said, extending a hand towards the darker haired man. “You’re Lewis, right?” 

Lewis nodded, extending his hand to take Tom’s larger one in his. “So, do you have any actual ideas about what we should do with these people?” He asked after their hands slid apart to rest at their sides. 

Tom flicked his eyes over the captives. “I stand by my first comment, you aren’t the only ones that these people have hurt in the past.” 

“We will be the last though.” Lewis said darkly as Turps looked up from where he had been tending to the wound on Hannah’s head. 

“You should be fine.” Turps said as he pulled Hannah to her feet, where she leant against his side to keep herself upright past the unsteadiness of her legs. 

“We should decide something before they all wake up.” Hannah supplied. “Even if it is just to drug them again to give us more time.” 

“Personally, I’m interested in what they have to say to us.” Lewis admitted. “If they have more people out there who are going to come for us then we need to know.” 

Hannah agreed with a hum in the back of her throat before she spoke again. “We should wait for the others, they should get to hear it too.” 

“It also wouldn’t hurt for us to have our powers back when we talk to them.” Sips suggested. 

A general muttering of agreement swept through the group. “I’ll mix up something to keep them unconscious for a while.” Rythian offered, Hannah insisting that she would assist.

 

**********

Fiona swept everything off the table in the lab as Ross carried Katie inside the room. He lay her down gently as Trott ripped his hoody from his shoulders and balled it up to place beneath her head, stroking the hair from out of Katie’s face and meeting her drifting eyes. 

“Hey.” He said, leaning down. “You going to stay awake?” He asked, a small smile lifting the corner of his lip. 

The redhead smiled back. “Is everyone else-?” 

Trott raised his eyebrows at her. “I know you don’t like being the centre of attention, but we need to focus on you right now.” 

Around the two, Smith, Fiona, Kim and Ross worked. Fiona lining up potions with Kim as Smith pulled Ross aside. 

“She’s going to scream.” Smith said. “But you cannot let up on holding her down.” He insisted. “Even if you break bones.” 

Ross swallowed. “Okay.” He agreed.

“It’s going to be awful.” Smith continued. “It’s going to smell and sound horrible and it-“ 

“Alex.” Ross stopped him. “It’s okay.” 

Smith shook his head. “No, it’s not.” He said. “I’m going to be willingly burning her, Ross. I’m going to be hurting her and no matter how much I insist to myself that I have to because she won’t survive if I don’t, it still feels wrong.” 

Ross wrapped the other man in his arms, pulling Smith’s head down so Smith’s chin rested on his shoulder. “I love you.” Ross whispered. “You can do this, Alex.” 

Smith had to struggle with everything he had not to break at Ross’ words. “What if it doesn’t work?” He asked. “What if I mutilate her for nothing?” 

Ross pulled back, holding’s Smith’s face between his hands. “Don’t think about that right now.” Ross instructed. “This is going to work.” He insisted. “She’ll be back to shouting at you for being a prick in no time.” 

“We’re ready.” 

Ross released Smith’s face, a final look of confidence from the dark haired man urging Smith forwards towards the table where Kim knelt atop Katie, her knees holding her shoulders down.


	30. Out of miracles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Smith (no, not that one!) for helping me out with this! You rock!

The baking tray was cold in his hand when he picked it up. Soon it heated, not from his power but the sheer warmth of his sweaty palms; so much so that when he finally did take a steadying breath and begin the process of speeding up the molecules to turn the object cherry red, it sizzled as the liquid evaporated at speed.

Tears were already clouding his vision as he stepped up to Katie. She looked so pale and sickly, lying on the hard wood of the table, much too frail for Kim to be straddling her to hold her down. Smith doubted the redhead would have been able to lift her head, let alone struggle as he did what he needed to do.

Something like a mantra repeated in his head. 

He needed to do this. She would die without it. It was a necessary evil.

If looking at Katie was excruciating, it was nothing compared to Trott. 

Smith had never, in all the time they had been friends, seen him look so done. When Trott’s brother and later, his father had been killed Trott had been down and most of all angry at the world but he had never been like this. He was vacant, his eyes seeming lifeless as he stared at Katie from a couple of feet away, his eyes dry. It was like looking at a stranger, like his best friend was not there anymore. He was gone.

Smith turned so his back was to Trott. “Okay.” Somehow the word came out past the lump in his throat.

Someone had taken their belt and put it between Katie’s teeth as he had been mentally preparing, he nodded sharply once when Kim adjusted herself atop the redhead so that her knees where wedged under Katie’s armpits, her small hands holding Katie’s shoulders down – their faces barely half a foot apart.

Ross clambered onto the table, his and Kim’s feet nudging as he straddled Katie’s thighs, leaning forward to wrap his hands around her ankles. “Ready.” Ross confirmed, voice almost a whisper but being heard clearly in the silence of the room. 

The first touch was hesitant and he pulled back as Katie pulled away with a scream in the back of her throat. 

The mantra in his head changed. 

Please forgive me. Please. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. 

Tears fell freely, trailing warmth down his cheeks and into his stubble as he pushed forwards once more. Kim pinning Katie’s mangled arm down to the table so she would be unable to pull away again.

The mantra ran on, screaming louder and louder in his head as Katie’s screams rent the air, muffled only slightly by the belt between her teeth and she struggled beneath Kim and Ross. Smith wished he had something similar to bite down on himself as his jaw ached from his gritted teeth. 

Movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye but he closed his eyes against it for a second, fighting against the need to turn his head away from the damage he was inflicting on his friend. 

Fiona had said he needed to keep it up for ten seconds but he wasn’t entirely convinced that time was moving forwards anymore. It was all so slow, detailed and all-encompassing on every single sense, that those ten seconds felt like an eternity as Katie bucked and screamed against the pain. 

Someone had been counting down, he hadn’t noticed until they got to one and he was able to drop the tray to the floor. He didn’t hear the sound of it hitting the floor, focusing only on the sounds Katie was making. Sounds that he had caused. 

Someone else was shouting another instruction at him but he didn’t decipher the noise until its third or fourth rendition. His hands shook as he extended them towards Katie once more, the charred stump steaming from the rapid cooling that he directed at the limb. 

“Kim, take him.” Suddenly time sped back up, maybe even beyond what it should have. Everything was happening at once and Smith struggled to process it all. Kim climbed off the table sprang at Trott who had come back to himself during the ordeal. 

Kim tackled Trott to the ground, wrapping her arms as much around him as possible to keep him from going to Katie and getting in the way of Fiona who was frantically forcing bottle after bottle of potions down Katie’s throat with what looked like practiced ease. 

The world was warping. Black edging his vision as he swayed on the spot, acid creeping up from his stomach, burning a trail up his chest. 

Suddenly Ross was there, blocking his view of the table and asking him questions that his brain just would not process. Ross’ impossibly blue eyes fixed Smith in place as nothing else had been able to once he looked at them, the blackness bleeding away slightly. 

Ross broke the eye contact to throw a look over his shoulder. Fiona was finished with the potions and Kim released Trott as Ross turned back and took Smith’s hand, pulling on it until Smith took first one step, then another towards the door. 

Once they had stepped through the door it was like a spell had been lifted. Smith broke into a sprint, only just making it to the bathroom before he heaved every last drop of bile from his stomach into the toilet. 

**********

Kim and Trott were the only ones who hadn’t left the room in the intervening hours. 

Ross had dragged Smith away as soon as it was over but the dark haired man returned without Smith a mere ten minutes after he had left.

Fiona dipped in and out of the room at regular intervals, splitting her time between checking on Katie and checking on Zoey and the others. Hannah’s wound was more serious than originally thought and so the remaining potions were ferried out of the room to the blonde. 

Duncan was tasked with delivering the news to group that Jason was no more, he had bled out on the floor in the other room. Kim couldn’t even bring herself to pretend the news wasn’t satisfying, nuzzling her face into Duncan’s chest as he held her.

Hannah arrived later, off white bandages covering her hands and one around her temple. “How is she?” She asked, pulling a chair up next to Trott. 

“Alive.” Trott answered, his voice flat. 

Hannah nodded and took Trott’s hand in hers, leaning her head on his shoulder and settling in to wait with her two best friends. 

Kim stood from her seat on the other side of the table and dragged it around. Positioning it on the other side of Trott, she sat down and mirrored Hannah’s position. 

Darkness fell and someone turned on the lights as the three friends kept watch over Katie.

Kim wasn’t sure how she knew what the feeling was when it came, but it was somehow unmistakable in her mind even if she had never felt it before. It was primal. A build-up of power that had nothing to do with everyone’s magic returning. 

“She’s waking.” Kim said, pushing herself upright with her free hand against Trott’s bicep. 

Katie stirred, a groan leaving her throat as she slowly came to. Her eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light. Beside her, Trott gasped. The redhead’s eyes, whilst usually a rich blue were shining golden until they met Kim’s brown eyes. Kim’s vision flashed black and white for a moment and Katie blinked again, eyes returning to their usual colour. Kim smiled sadly, it would have been miraculous for Katie to have dodged the curse. Apparently they were all out of miracles for the time being. 

Hannah jumped to her feet as Katie tried to lift herself up. “Careful.” She warned. “Gently.” She continued, helping Katie to sit up. “How’s the pain?” 

“I’ve had worse.” The redhead commented. 

“Fucking liar.” Trott said, trying and failing to smile at Katie. 

Katie winced as she shrugged at him, hissing in pain. “Okay, fine.” She admitted. “It pinches a little.” 

Trott rolled his eyes and ignored the sniffing sounds coming from either side of him where Hannah and Kim stood. Stepping forwards, he took Katie’s head in his hands and pressed their foreheads together, closing his eyes. “You’re going to be okay.” Trott wasn’t sure if he said it for Katie’s benefit or his own. 

*********

Smith stood as Katie and the others entered the room, his stomach in knots as his eyes zeroed in on her missing hand. Without breaking stride, the redhead walked over to Smith. “Where is he?”

“Duncan and Lewis got rid of the body a few hours ago.” Smith answered, not looking her in the eye. 

Katie’s lip curled. “Shame, I thought giving it a good kicking might help.” Smith couldn’t hold back his snort of laughter. Katie smiled gently at him. “Thank-” 

“No.” Smith said, cutting her off. “Never, ever thank me for that.” 

“I told you.” Trott interjected. 

“You saved my life.” Katie insisted. “Without you I wouldn’t have survived.” 

“Please.” Smith replied, his voice quiet. 

Katie nodded and stepped forwards, wrapping her good arm around his middle. “I won’t say it.” 

Smith sighed and enveloped her in a hug. “Good.” 

Once he had released her, Katie stepped away towards some of the others as Hannah lingered by Smith. “What’s the plan now?” Hannah asked, gesturing with a flick of her head towards their prisoners who were still out cold from the drugs and tied to various chairs. 

“I need to talk to my brother.” 

Hannah swept her eyes to where Mark and Caff were both sitting close to each other, away from the rest of the group. “Caff too.” 

Smith nodded. “Who wants in?” 

“I assume Ross will want to be there, Kim too.” Hannah observed. “Zoey and Turps might be helpful.” 

“And you?” Smith asked.

“Or Lewis.” 

**********

Mark tried to keep his breathing steady as his brother led him and Caff from the room and into the kitchen. His heart was hammering in his chest and a thin sheen of sweat crept across his brow. 

It was his fault. 

He was the one who had told his mother all about his friend at the office. He had been the one who showed her what they looked like, sounded like. He had talked and talked and talked to her about the office over the last few months. 

He had supplied all the information they had needed to take the place, telling his mother about friends and their time together. If he had just kept his mouth shut then none of this would have been possible. 

Mark sat down in the chair indicated to him by Smith, his legs wobbling as he lowered himself down. 

If only he had not been so boastful, so full of pride at his progress with his powers. If he had kept his joy to himself and not bandied it around like some kind of celebratory event. If he had not wanted to impress her so much. 

If. If. If. 

Caff looked worried, sitting next to him. His already pale face seeming to lose even more colour as Ross, Smith, Zoey, Turps and Lewis took seats around the table with them. 

What the fuck was he going to say? How could he apologise for this. For causing so much trouble and pain and awfulness, just because he wanted his mother to like him. 

“I guess we know now why you never got to meet Mark’s mom.” Ross directed at Smith. 

Smith nodded. “She looks a lot like her sister.” He commented, seeming to shudder at something. “Luckily she doesn’t have the powers.” 

Ross reached out and took Smith’s hand. 

Turps cleared his throat. “Mark, go.” He said gesturing to the door. “Go back to the others, you’re fine.” 

“What?” Mark questioned, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion. 

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Turps persisted. “Go.” 

“But- I- I was the leak.” He said. “I told them everything about you guys and the office and-” He paused, looked at each face in turn. “I deserve to be-” 

Zoey interjected. “You deserve to stop torturing yourself.” She said. “Now, go. We’ll come find you when it’s time to wake them up.”


	31. ‘Friends are the family we choose for ourselves’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dealing with their enemies.

Katie wasn’t fond of the eyes on her. Everyone seeming to be glancing in her direction with pity in their eyes as they snatched glimpses of her missing hand. She supposed she should call it a stump really but the word was so harsh and ugly and just thinking it caused phantom pains to shoot through where her hand should have been. 

She needed to be strong. Needed to keep herself together for the others. She could break later, when she was back home, alone. 

Gods, home. How in the fuck was she going to explain losing a hand to her parents? Would she have to tell them everything? And then what? Would they be forced to close down the office. Forced apart from the office? Away from her friends? Away from Chris? No. She couldn’t. She would have to think of something. 

Plans swirled through her head, too fast for her to latch onto any. Ideas spinning and sparking before vanishing just as quickly as they came, never forming into anything solid. 

Chris squeezed her left hand that he had been clinging to since they had sat down. She squeezed back and forced a smile for him as the door opened and Caff entered with the others close behind. 

Katie examined Caff, he looked shook, scared and maybe a little relieved. 

Lewis stopped in the centre of the room, holding everyone’s attention and looking from face to face. 

“Caff and Mark we’re victims of magic and manipulation, they didn’t do anything wrong.” He started. “Now we all need to figure out what we’re going to do with the rest of those…” He didn’t finish his words, simply gesturing to their captives with a wave of a hand and a look of disgust on his face. 

Katie looked down at her feet, not trusting herself to speak anything but venomous, torturous death threats. 

The room was quiet for a few beats, the only sound was a few people shuffling in their seats.  
“Vinculum.” Sips spoke, his voice louder than his usual mutter. 

Latin was not Katie’s strong point so she kept quiet as Rythian spoke. 

“Bond?” He asked, looking confused. 

Sips shook his head. “Fetter.” 

Rythian raised his brows. “You want to bind them?” 

Sips shrugged and sat back in his seat. “It’s the only way we can guarantee they won't try this shit again.” 

Rythian shook his head in seeming disbelief. “Do you have any idea how fucking dark that kind of magic is?” 

“About as dark as the memory wipe we will have to do on them after.” Sips answered back, seemingly nonchalant. 

Rythian’s mocking laugh echoed through the room, an ugly twisting of his lips distorting the sound into something almost chilling. “You expect us to just- strip them of their magic and wipe them clean?” 

“Unless you want to take this to the council or whatever the fuck those bunch of lazy assholes are calling themselves now.” Sips shot back. “I’m just saying it’s an option. And it will probably be a hell of a lot easier with Mark helping.” 

The boy in question sat up straighter in his seat at his name and looked around unsurely. 

“How dark is it?” Smith asked from Katie’s left. 

Rythian stood. “We would be drawing all their powers away, putting them into something else and then taking away the knowledge that they were even there in the first place.” 

Smith considered it for a moment before speaking again. “Seems to me like it’s our only option.” Smith said, watching Rythian as he spoke. “It means that we are safe. That any of you with family involved are safe too. They’re not going to stop just because Jason is dead, we didn't defeat him. We made him their martyr.” 

********* 

It wasn’t much of a discussion really. 

Smith could tell that Ross didn't understand half of what they were talking about, he had rarely heard any of his friends talk about there being light or dark magic. He had thought that was something from fantasy and that real magic was without shades. 

As the talk had continued, he must have realised how wrong he had been. Though no one else outright stood against it like Rythian, there was a lot of negative muttering and downcast eyes. It seemed that no one was comfortable with what they were about to do. 

“It’s decided then.” Lewis announced. “If anyone doesn’t want to be a part of this then you are free to leave until it’s over.” His eyes look from one person to the next. “We cast at midnight.” He said finally, before leaving the room and effectively breaking up the impromptu meeting. 

Ross exhaled a long breath, turning to Smith sitting next to him. “What did we just agree to?”  


Smith met his eye for a moment before rising from his seat. “Forbidden magic that if we get caught could be a death sentence.” 

“Oh- that’s all?” He asked, trying to lighten the dark mood that seemed to have descended over his boyfriend. 

Smith nodded. “Yeah, no big.” With that, he walked out of the room, gesturing for Mark to follow him. 

Once they were both in their shared office, Smith turned to his brother and examined his pale face. “You okay?” 

Mark nodded, a little fast. “We’re basically going to be erasing my parents.” He said. “Orphaning myself.” He added after a moment of silence. 

Smith paced the room as Mark took a seat at the desk. “You don't have to be a part of this.” 

Mark waited until Smith’s pacing made him face his direction. “Yes I do. Sips was right, they aren’t going to stop just because Jason is gone. They’ve been talking about more power and taking over and whatever for as long as I can remember. I just didn’t want to hear it so I ignored it.” 

“You could still ignore it.” Smith said, giving the younger man an out. 

Mark shook his head. “I get that what we are going to do is dark, and I know the consequences of it. We don’t have a choice.” 

Smith stopped himself from the cliche ‘we always have a choice’ that was at the tip of his tongue. Life didn’t always work like that. Choices were not always there for the taking and there wasn’t any easy way out of this one. “But you don’t have to be here for it.” 

“I do. I need to be here for my family.” He paused and met his brother’s eye. “And not the fucking people who are drugged up in the other room, my real family. You guys.” 

Smith raised an eyebrow. “‘Friends are the family we choose for ourselves’” Smith quoted with a smirk. “Sappy cunt.” 

Mark kicked out, landing a gentle blow on Smith’s shin. 

********* 

Talks continued later into the day. People flitting from room to room with requests and offers. There was a lot of prepare before something of this magnitude could be cast. 

The common room was stripped of almost everything, the carpet pulled up to expose the bare boards underneath so that Duncan could prepare the circle. 

Elements stored in jars rested on the lone table along one wall, waiting in a line for the right time. 

Yet still, no one left. Even Rythian stayed, talking Mark through the incantations over and over until he could almost recite them without looking at the old, leather bound book. 

Simon and Lewis sat in a corner with Sips, some kind of assembly line going on between them. Lewis cut black fabric into vaguely humanoid shapes then passed to Simon who began stitching two together down one side. Once he was done, Sips shoved some kind of crystal and a small hemp bag inside the dolls before finishing off the stitching until they were closed. 

Ross had been trying to stay out of everyone’s way, instead spending time with Caff away from the others and their tasks until he was called to help arrange their prisoners inside the circle. 

“Are we going to wake them?” Caff asked, as he helped Ross by grabbing onto Magnus’ feet and shuffling with him into the circle, trying not to smudge the intricate chalk designs that Duncan had spent hours bent over. 

Trott was the one to answer, from his place by the table where he was checking and rechecking the spells components. “It’s better if we don’t. If they’re not conscious then they can’t struggle or break the circle.” 

********** 

Trott found Kim and Hannah in the lab, jars scattered around the table, some empty and some full. 

“How are you feeling?” Kim asked, pausing in her work to look at her friend. 

Trott shrugged at her. Pulling up a stool and hopping up onto it. “I honestly have no fucking clue.” 

Kim nodded at him. “How’s Katie?” 

“Seems much better than I am.” He sighed. “At least she’s pretending to be.” 

Hannah reached out a hand, laying in on Trott’s shoulder. “She’ll be okay, Trott.” 

Trott nodded. “Yeah.” He agreed. “She’s way stronger than I am.” 

Kim snorted in agreement. “Than all of us put together, I bet.” 

Hannah hummed in agreement. 

“Dave’s almost finished killing off the paper trail.” Trott informed the two women. “If it all goes to plan, we can portal them to separate locations and they won't be able to be traced back to their original lives.” 

“Why aren’t we giving them new identities? Wouldn’t it be easier to make sure they don't come back if they think they’re living their normal lives?” Kim asked as she poured some sand into one of the empty jars on the counter. "IT can't be much harder than wiping them, surely?" 

“Mark could probably do it.” Hannah said seeming to agree for a moment. “But it’s too risky. Better they have nothing to latch onto. Mind magic is delicate, give them too much and they could find some clue about who they really are, leave it blank and they have nothing to work with." 

“Plus, I think Smith would kill us for suggesting Mark do more than he already is.” Trott added. “He isn’t happy that he has to be as involved as it is.” 

“I’m not exactly jumping for joy at the concept of any of us doing this either.” Hannah admitted. "Never thought I would be messing with forbidden magics." 

Kim looked between her two best friends, the wolf inside pulsing with a fierce protection. “None of us wanted it to come to this.” She said, holding their attention. “But if we are ever going to feel safe anywhere then we need to do this. They invaded our home, hurt our family." She stated firmly. "They deserve worse than this.” She added, a growl lacing the words. 

********** 

“Inner circle, take your poppets and get into your positions.” Rythian said, stepping forward into his own place between Mark and Hannah. The seven chosen to do the ritual spaced themselves evenly apart, once they were situated Rythian spoke again. “The rest of you into place. Be careful of the jars.” He said gesturing to the objects in question that were spaced around the outer circle at regular intervals. 

Fourteen of the sixteen left standing around the room formed a larger circle around the first, their arms stretched out to each other, fingertips brushing. 

“Smith, the candles.” Rythian commanded quietly. 

Smith looked up from where he had been tracing the intricate patterns on the floor with his eyes. With a small twitch of his fingers, the multitude of candles in the room flared to life. 

Sips took Zoey’s hand when it was almost time. “Come on, Zo.” He said tugging gently. “They’ll come for us once it's done.” He said gently, flicking the light switch off so that the only lights were the many candles dotted around the room. 

Zoey relented to Sip’ grasp and walked with him out of the room, shooting a backwards glance at her friends still inside and offering them all a small smile of encouragement as they shut the door and walked away. 

Silence descended. The only sound in the room was the steady breathing of their captures, their own, less uniformed inhales and exhales, and the too loud ticking of the clock on the wall. 

From where he stood, Ross could see Hannah’s face and the way her eyes were fixed onto the clock. “It’s time.” She spoke, the two words feeling heavy in Ross’ ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it guys. 
> 
> Only the epilogue to go. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading. 
> 
> Much longer and sappier note will be on the epilogue, I'm sure.


	32. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue set months after the final chapter.

Arlene smiled as she observed Hannah, Trott and Kim gathered around one of the countertops in her potions lab. It was a moment she wished she could freeze in time, Hannah and Trott with their heads thrown back as they laughed whilst Kim had her hand clapped over her own mouth trying in vain to breathe through the giggles. Arlene looked down at the off white envelope clasped in her one hand and sighed in contentment. 

After a few seconds, Arlene walked further into the room. “Sometimes I wonder if hiring you three was just asking for trouble.” Arlene joked with a raised voice to be heard over the laughter, her face completely serious for a moment before she broke out into a grin at Hannah’s smile dropping in concern. 

Trott shook his head and made his way over to the older woman, throwing an arm around her shoulder. “Good thing that you don’t always get what you ask for then, isn’t it?” He quipped.

Arlene let herself be led over to the counter by Trott, coming to stand between him and Hannah with Kim on Trott’s other side. “It’s good to hear you all laugh.” The older woman said, looking from one to the next. 

Hannah’s lips lifted into a smile, despite the memories invoked by Arlene’s comment. “You’ve been a big part of that.” She told the woman. “What you are doing for us. Trusting us to look after this place. It’s good to have something that is ours to put our time and effort into.” 

“Gives us a purpose.” Kim added. 

“Speaking of work.” Trott said, turning his body to address Arlene more directly. “We we’re thinking about maybe doing some kind of online shop too. Dave has worked out a way to make sure that only the magical community can access it and we could ship worldwide.” 

Arlene nodded, her eyebrows raised in clear approval. 

“Do you think it would be a good idea, or-?” Trott continued. 

Arlene nodded her head slightly. “But it’s not up to me.” She said, placing the envelope onto the counter and sliding it in front of Hannah.

Hannah picked it up, throwing a confused look to Arlene who merely smiled back at her. Kim and Trott moved to stand either side of their friend once she had pulled the document out of the envelope. 

Hannah’s left hand shot to her face where it settled over her mouth as she gasped. 

“This place is yours as of-“ Arlene started before pausing and looked down at her watch. “-ten minutes ago.” 

**********

Ross pulled the phone away from his ear with a grin. It was done. 

The dark haired man had to stop himself sprinting back into Smith’s house. Skipping through the back door and forcing himself to walk into the living room where his boyfriend was lying across the sofa. 

“I need to go do something.” Ross announced, shoving his phone into his pocket. 

Smith craned his neck back so he could look up at Ross, his brows furrowed. “What are you up to?” Smith asked. 

Ross baulked. “Up to?” He retorted. “Why would I be up to anything?” 

Smith pushed himself into a sitting position and raised an eyebrow at Ross. “You are such a terrible liar.” 

Ross opened his mouth to retort but knew it was a lost cause, his face settled into a toothy smile. “I can’t tell you.” He said. “Not yet.” 

Smith didn’t say anything. 

“It’s a surprise. I promise it’s something amazing.” Ross continued. “Come to the office and hang out for a bit and I’ll come find you once it’s all ready, okay?” Ross asked, moving around to the front of the sofa and offering Smith a hand to pull him to his feet. 

Smith took the offered hand, not releasing it once he was standing, instead he pulled the appendage until it was resting on the small of his back, causing Ross to take a stumbling step forwards. “What’s in it for me?” Smith asked. 

Ross moved his other hand to clasp the first at Smith’s back, his index finger tangling in one of Smith’s belt loops. “Besides the surprise?” 

“Yeah. I have no idea if I’ll like it, so I need some more incentive.” The taller man said, bringing his right hand up to rest of the side of Ross’ neck.

Ross hummed in thought. “And what kind of incentive exactly will get you to do what I ask?” He questioned before wetting his lips and pressing them together whilst he waited for an answer. 

Smith’s smile was slow and lazy as it spread across his face, white teeth eventually peeking from behind his parted lips as his eyes crinkled at the corners. “A date.” 

Ross chuckled. “That’s all? I thought you were going to ask for a soul sacrifice or something.” 

“Nah, I already have that.” He retorted before leaning in and pressing his lips against Ross’. 

*********

Ross found Katie packing up her office, half full boxes labelled in neat handwriting littering the space as she sorted object after object. 

Ross leant against the open doorframe for a moment, watching the redhead. 

“You do realise the move isn’t for another week, right?” Ross said, breaking the silence and not bothering with a greeting. 

Katie whirled around to look at him, strands of her fiery locks falling into her face. “I like to be organised.” She retorted, her handless right arm coming up to brush the hair away from her face. 

“Well, it’ll have to wait for a bit.” Ross said, taking a few steps into the room and holding a hand out for Katie to take. “We have somewhere to be.” 

The redhead looked down at her watch, noting the time. “We aren’t meant to be meeting everyone for another couple of hours.” She replied, confused but took his hand anyway.

Ross didn’t say anything else, instead he just led Katie out of her office and down the corridor into another office and straight through a portal in the wall. 

 

The two friends arrived at what could only be described as a workshop. Electronic devices in various stages of completion were strewn around the many tables and counter tops. Doors and drawers lay partly open, jutting out from the cupboards they were set in. Wires, circuit boards and other components peeking out. 

Dave sat at a ‘U’ shaped set up of tables, pieces of various inventions surrounding him on the tables. “Katie!” He practically shouted, jumping up from his stool and motioning her to go over to him. “Sit, sit, sit.” He insisted as she approached, Ross following behind. 

Katie did as she was bid and sat down on the stool with Dave on her right and Ross on her left. “What is going on?” 

“You didn’t tell her?” Dave asked Ross, who just shook his head in answer. Dave grinned. “Open that.” He directed the redhead, pointing to a shoebox sized case on the table. 

Reaching forwards with her left hand, Katie flicked the clasps holding it closed and lifted the lid, her heart seeming to stop in her chest as she realised what she was looking at. 

*********

It had been around an hour since Ross left him to prepare the surprise and Smith was getting bored. Most of the office was empty of people and even computers in anticipation of their leaving the office. Which meant that there wasn’t much to busy himself with, other than tormenting his friends.

Lewis and Tom where the only others in the room, sitting on one of the remaining sofa’s with their hands linked whilst they watched something that Smith couldn’t see on the TV. “GAY!” Smith shouted, hands cupped over his mouth. 

Tom locked eyes with Smith, a look passing between the two of them. Smith tipped his head slightly in challenge, a smirk on his face. 

Lewis caught the look and a dark smile overcame his features, unseen by the other two men. With one smooth movement, Lewis swivelled in his seat onto his knees, throwing one leg over Tom’s to sit in his lap and planting a harsh kiss on Tom’s lips. 

Smith couldn’t stop the short bark of a laugh that left his mouth before he proceeded to make vomiting noises at the two men. 

Smith was broken out of his pretend offense when something bowled into him, sending himself and whatever it was to the floor in a tangle of limbs and excited, high pitched chatter that he couldn’t decipher. 

“Oh God. I haven’t hurt you, have I?” 

Smith spluttered red hair out of his face, trying to answer. “No, I’m good.” He rolled onto his back and looked up at Katie, kneeling next to him. “What-?” Smith abruptly stopped anything he was going to say. 

He sat up slowly, reaching out towards Katie but not actually touching her, worried that if he did the illusion would burst and what he saw before him wouldn’t be true. 

Katie couldn’t contain her grin, she reached forwards with her right hand and poked Smith on the tip of his nose. “Boop.” 

Smith brought his hands up, first touching his own nose before reaching forwards and taking Katie’s impossible hand in his own. 

*********

It had been rough. For some it was harder than the first and for others it seemed almost like a fucked up sort of closure. At least that was how Turps saw it, heard it. Knew it, he supposed. Having a direct link into everyone’s minds meant he got it all. The horror, the sadness, the nightmares, the dreams, the regret, the hope and the relief. 

Walking the empty office one last time was emotional for him. Not just seeing and feeling his own thoughts about the place but remembering everyone else’s. The one common room that no one felt comfortable in after the events six months previously, the potions lab where Smith had saved Katie, the kitchen where he had been subdued when their enemies came for them. 

The memories seemed painted into the walls, sunken into the floor and splashed onto the ceilings. 

He turned off the lights as he moved through the rooms methodically, closing doors to memories that wanted to overwhelm him. 

They could never have stayed here, not after everything that happened. He knew that, yet it was hard saying goodbye to the rooms that had saved more than a few of his friends from a life of loneliness or worse. 

He met Mark in the corridor to the front door. “You ready?” Mark asked, reaching for the door handle in front of him. 

Turps nodded gently, throwing one last glance over his shoulder as he exited the building. The two men started walking towards their new office on the other side of town. 

*********

The beach was buzzing with activity as everyone set up for the day. The fire pit being refreshed with new wood and friends jostling as they brought through supplies for the impromptu gathering. 

“You good here?” Kim asked Duncan with a smile. 

Duncan dropped the pile of towels he had been carrying to the sand, taking a step away he duplicated himself into an additional three Duncan’s who all turned to Kim and spoke at once. “We’ll manage.” 

Kim snorted a laugh and hugged the original Duncan around the waist. “We’ll be back at dusk.” She said before jogging off into the tree line where Ross and the others waited. 

“Have fun!” The Duncan’s called after her with a wave before heading back through the portal with his clones to get more supplies. 

**********

They ran. 

Five wolves, leaping over fallen trees and skidding on the loose sand as they chased each other. Nipping at heels and yapping in joy as wind whipped through their fur and the salty scent of the ocean clung to their noses. 

Occasionally, the light caught them through the canopy, the bleached out monochrome of the shade giving way to glints of colour. Browns and blondes becoming distinguishable from the black and grey. One wolf stood out more, the rich red of the fur looked more at home on a fox than a wolf and the way that the light caught the wolfs right foreleg as it moved was wrong somehow. 

Time ceased to exist as they sped around the island. A new pack had been born when they had faced their enemies. A bond stronger than any before it, they were united in circumstance and would forever be connected because of it. 

********

The sun had just sunk behind the horizon when a sharp whistle sounded from the trees. 

Smith stood from where he had been sitting by the campfire and watched the pack emerge from the forest. Kim led them, walking backwards and laughing at something that Caff had said. Tom nudged Caff in the ribs with an elbow, causing Caff to stumble on the sand and throw an insult at the bearded man before he jumped up and ripped the ever present beanie off Tom’s head and made a run for it. 

Katie shouted something after them and Smith watched as Ross grabbed her arm and practically threw her over his one shoulder, making a beeline for Kim. 

Kim’s screamed as Ross chased her, her smaller feet on the loose sand causing her to move slower than him. With a ‘woop’ of triumph, Ross swung Kim onto his other shoulder. “Who’s the alpha, now?” He shouted, running towards the fire where the rest of their friends were gathered. 

“Put me down!” Kim shrieked. “Neanderthal!” 

Katie laughed as she was jostled around, seeming unable to form words as all of her breath was used up in the giggling. 

Trott sidled up next to Smith. “What is your boyfriend doing, manhandling my girlfriend?” 

Smith snorted. “I have no fucking clue.” 

Trott laughed. 

The two men watched as Ross dropped Kim in front of Duncan and then started towards them with Katie still on his shoulder. As he approached Ross manoeuvred his arm, hooking it behind Katie’s legs and making her fall forwards so he could catch her with one arm around her waist whilst the other supported her legs across his body. 

The redhead wrapped her left arm around his shoulders to hold herself steady. “Put me down!” She protested, kicking her legs. “Chris!” She called as they got a little closer. “Save me!” 

Trott laughed. “Nah babe, just gouge his face off with your robot hand!” 

Katie flexed the appendage in question, the intricate joints making no noise as she moved them. “If I poke your eyes out, Dave might be able to make you a cyborg like me.” She threatened, bringing her hand up to Ross’ face. 

Ross immediately dropped Katie where she landed on her feet to the floor. “Evil robot.” He scalded.

Katie nodded and offered him a sweet smile. “Remember I know where you sleep.” She said before walking over to where Trott was standing with the cover for her arm with a skip in her step. 

Smith didn’t think he would ever not be fascinated with what Dave had managed to do. When Katie had the latex cover over her robotic hand it was pretty much impossible to tell that it wasn’t a real hand, it was almost as impressive as the way he had made it able to fold down into a paw like appendage for when she was in wolf form. 

“You, me, dancing.” Katie announced, taking Trott by the hand and leading him away to where the music had been set up some way away from the fire pit. “You two too!” She called over her shoulder.

The two men followed Katie and Trott to the sparsely lit area where Zoey and Fiona we’re already swaying to the soft music in each other’s arms, Zoey’s head resting on Fiona’s shoulder. 

Ross brought his hands up and clasped them behind Smith’s neck as Smith’s settled on the small off Ross’ back. “You realise I don’t know how to actually slow dance, right?” Smith said. 

Ross shrugged. “Me either, but it can’t be that hard if Trott can do it.” He answered gesturing with a nod of the head to where Trott and Katie we’re dancing. 

Smith chuckled as Trott spun Katie then pulled her close. “Who knew Trott had those kind of moves.” 

Ross smiled at the sight of Katie being dipped, her hair fanning out as Trott pulled her back close and she laughed. “Dip me.” 

Smith snorted. “No.” 

“Awhh, come on!” Ross said. “It’s easy.” 

“If it’s so easy, you dip me.” Smith challenged. 

Ross didn’t answer verbally, instead he snuck one last look at Katie and Trott before shifting his hold on Smith. One arm on Smith’s waist and the other holding his hand. Smith similarly moved to mirror Trott and Katie’s postures, the hand not clasping Ross’ resting on Ross’ shoulder. 

A few moments of uncoordinated sidestep dancing ensued as Ross prepared himself. With a push at Smith’s waist, Ross twisted his arm and Smith did a spin before crashing back into Ross’ chest laughing. “See!” Ross said. “Easy.” 

Smith grinned, leaning down to place a quick kiss to Ross’ lips. 

A few minutes of shuffling ensued, somehow both men avoided stepping on either others feet. Smith rested his head on Ross’ shoulder for a few minutes as one song bled into another. 

“You ready?” Ross whispered close to Smith’s ear. 

Smith pulled back, looking Ross in the eyes and nodding. “Let’s do this.” 

Ross grinned as he spun Smith, once away from him and a second time so that Smith’s back was to his chest. Pivoting himself, he lowered Smith into a dip, holding the pose for a moment before Smith’s leg moved on the soft sand and they both fell to the floor with a shout. 

Ross pushed himself up from on top of Smith, his outstretched arms holding his weight. “Are you okay?” 

Smith’s eyes met his, mirth dancing in them. “Déjà vu.”

Ross’ eyebrows pulled together in confusion, a question on the tip of his tongue as Smith flicked his eyes down to Ross’ lips and back again. After a heartbeat, Smith reached up and took a fist full of Ross’ shirt in his hand to pull him in for a searing kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.
> 
> There it is. 
> 
> This whole thing has taken me just over 22 months to complete. Almost two years of writing these two stories that make up this world. So much has happened both in the story and in my own life during this time and it feels like the end of an era. 
> 
> I have some things that I need to say in completion of this, some thanks that have to be given because without the people below, I would never have started this – let alone finished it. 
> 
> GreenColin – This whole thing is because of you, because I loved the premise of your magic AU so much that I wanted one of my own to play with. Thank you for making this possible, for helping me find a story that I wanted to tell.
> 
> Nisha – My little cheerleader! Without you I don’t know if I would have been able to complete half of the chapters in these two fics. You helped me so much and I am so grateful to you. I have often spouted how much your help means to me but I must say it again. I love you, you pop obsessed, southern hemisphere Queen of fics! Xxx
> 
> Chels and Sarah – Don’t think you two will get away without a mention either! You have both been so supportive and honestly letting me and Nisha torment you with stuff relating to this fic has sometimes been the thing that gave me the push to keep going and get chapters out there. You are both amazing and I love you! Xxx
> 
> Han – Somehow you came in and you twisted my world to fit your niche little ship and honestly, I love it! Thank you for all the support and help and encouragement throughout this whole thing. Love you! 
> 
> The commenters – To every single person who took the time to Kudos this thing or make a comment, Thank you! Whether you are a serial commenter or just a one off – every single word that you have had to share with me has made me happy and I do often go back and read them. You guys have kept me going with the story and given me so many pushes to carry on, even when you didn’t know that I needed it. I love all of you! Xxx
> 
> The rest of the 'Wheelie Bin of Shame' - You guys rock! Iz, Till, Smeg, Scar. Love you all! 
> 
> Finally – Thank anyone who read this. It has been a long old road but we got there in the end. 
> 
> If anyone has any questions about anything then just hit me up either in a comment on here or on Tumblr (anonymous or not, doesn’t matter.) 
> 
> THANK YOU! 
> 
> All the love in the world  
> Vex. xxx


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